6.'^  .n . 


^^  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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BY  4520  .06^1855 
ClayBaugh,  Joseph,  1803- 

1855. 
The  Christian  profession 


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Vc^V 


"ifR 


THE 


CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION 


A  SERIES  OF 


LETTERS  TO  A  FRIEND, 


NATURE,   DUTIES,   NECESSITY,  TEIALS  AND  SUPPORTS 
OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 


y    BY 
JOSEPH  CLAYBAUGH,  D.  D. 


CINCINNATI: 

MOORE,   WILSTACH,   KEYS&  CO, 

25  WEST  FOURTH  STREET. 

185  5. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by 

MOOEE,  WILSTACH,  KEYS  &  CO., 

In  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Ohio. 


W.  OVEREND  &  CO.,  Printers. 


PREFACE. 


The  Author  has  long  felt  the  need  of  a  Manual, 
presenting  briefly  and  together,  the  points  treated  of 
in  this  little  volume,  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of 
young  persons  and  others  standing  at  the  threshold 
of  the  Church,  and  likewise  into  the  hands  of  Church 
members,  as  occasion  may  require.  Those  excellent 
works  which  have  been  written  on  different  parts  of 
the  subject — some  covering  more,  and  some  less  of 
the  whole  ground — such  as  Jay's  Christian  Contem- 
plated, and  James's  True  Christian,  Christian  Pro- 
fessor and  Christian  Duty,  do  not  just  meet  the 
want,  which  a  Manual  of  this  kind  is  designed  to 
meet.  On  the  other  hand,  a  small  work  of  this 
character,  may  serve  to  turn  attention  to  those 
works,  in  which   different  points  on   the   same,   or 


IV  PREFACE. 

kindred  subjects,  are  more  largely  discussed.  It  is 
sent  forth  as  an  humble  laborer  with  those  admira- 
ble works,  not  at  all  pretending  to  take  rank  with 
them,  but  desiring  to  contribute  its  mite  to  the  same 
cause — to  the  glory  of  our  common  Lord ;  to  whose 
favor  and  blessing  it  is  humbly  commended. 

Oxford,  Ohio,  August  1,  1854. 


C  0  IN  T  E  jN  T  S  . 


LETTER   I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 
Prejudices  against  tlie  Christian  Profession  -  The  Chris- 
tian Profession  delayed— False  views  of  its  nature  and 
duties— The  Church  reduced  to  a  worldly  standard— 
The  moral  power  of  the  Christian  Profession  impaired 
—Subjects  of  the  proposed  Letters 9 

LETTER    II. 

THE  NATURE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 
Facts  and  principles  which  this  Profession  implies-Be- 
lievers  profess  to  take  Christ  as  their  Saviour,  and  to  es- 
pouse his  cause-Avow  subjection  to  Christ  as  their 
Lawgiver  and  King-This  Profession  is  a  testimony- 
Becomes  a  confession-Visible  Church  a  divinely  con- 
stituted  society-How  described-Its  design  and  its 
connection  with  the  Christian  Profession— Sacramental 

seals, 

LETTER    III. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

Christians   a  peculiar  people -Their  peculiar  character 

grows  out  of  the  Gospel  as  a  scheme  of  mercy— Source 

of  Christian  Character-ISIotives-Christian  obligation 

the  same  now  as  in  the  Apostolic  age, 33 


« 


« VI  CONTENTS. 


LET  T  E  K    I  V  . 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION— CONTINUED. 

Internal  characteristics — Saving  knowledge  of  God  and  of 
Jesus  Christ — Faith  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — Genu- 
ine repentance — Love  to  God  and  the  Saviour — Univer- 
sal benevolence — The  love  of  the  brethren — a  spirit  of 
identification  with  Christ — Fixing  the  heart  on  hea- 
venly things,  and  expectation  of  the  Saviour — Vital 
importance  of  these  inward  principles, 42 


LETTER    V. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION— CONTINUED. 

Outward  duties — Observance  of  Gospel  Institutions — The 
practice  of  the  social  virtues, 53 


LETTER    VI. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION— CONTINUED. 

The  passive  virtues — humility — meekness  — self-denial  — 
forbearance — forgiveness  —  Importance  in  Christian 
Character, 71 


LETTER    VII. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION— CONCLUDED. 

Studying  the  welfare  of  the  Christian  commonwealth — Bro- 
therly love — Peace  of  the  Church — Firm  maintenance 
of  the  testimony  of  the  Church — Religious  conversation 
— Meetings  for  conference  and  prayer — Efforts  to  con- 
vert sinners — Religious  training  of  children — General 
education — Education  of  daughters — Honoring  the  Lord 
with  our  substance — Praver  for  Ziou, 78 


CONTENTS.  vii 

LETTER    VIII. 

THE  IMPORTANCE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
PROFESSION. 

An  incident  in  the  life  of  our  Lord— Direct  proof— Two  ex- 
planations,  for  the  purpose  of  guarding  against  mistake 
and  of  meeting  objections— Necessity  of  the  Christian 
Profession  further  argued,  from  the  necessity  of  uni- 
versal disobedience— The  command,  "  This  do  in  re- 
membrance of  me"— The  non-professor  disobedient,  and 
convicted  of  rebellion  against  Zion's  King,  of  unbelief 
and  impenitence, ^^ 

LETTER    IX. 

NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION-CONTINUED. 
Further  argued  from  the  fact  that  Christ's  presence  and 
blessings  are  promised  only  to  the  Church— Salvation 
of  the  Church  of  God,  and  out  of  the  Church  no  ordi- 
nary possibility  of  salvation, H^ 

LETTER    X. 

NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION-CONCLUDED. 
Further  argued  from  the  demands  of  our  social  natures— Pe- 
culiar danger  of  young  men-The  Christian  Profession  a 
sliieid- A  profession  of  religion  necessary  to  the  filial 
and  comfortable  discharge  of  other  duties— This  Profes- 
sion a  necessary  check— Two  classes  of  non-professors, 
the  careless,  the  serious  and  thoughtful,  pleas  and 
excuses, 

LETTER    XI. 

THE  TRIALS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 
Our  Lord's  forewarnings  on  this  subject— Trials  from  self, 
or  indwelling  sin,  in  its  various  deceitful  workings.  142 


Vlll  ••:  CONTENTS. 

LETTEE    XII. 

TRIALS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION— CONCLUDED. 

Trials  from  the  world,  in  its  temptations,  social  influences, 
hatred,  opposition,  reproach,  persecution — Opposition 
from  friends — Trials  from  brethren  in  the  Church — 
Temptations  of  Satan, 160 

LETTEE    XIII. 

SUPPORTS  AND  CONSOLATIONS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
PROFESSION. 

Promised,  but  not  to  the  false  professor — Sense  of  accept- 
ance with  God — Christ's  service  in  itself  delightful 
as  well  as  reasonable — Pleasure  in  the  play  of  Chris- 
tian affection,  and  in  the  performance  of  duty — The 
constraining  power  of  the  love  of  Christ — Trials,  light, 
short,  honorable,  rewarded — Hope  of  future  reward .  180 

LETTEE    XIV.  ^ 

SUPPORTS  AND  CONSOLATIONS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  % 

PROFESSION— CONCLUSION. 

Assurance  of  support — Promises — Conscious  right  by  grace 
to  the  blessings  of  God's  people — Confidence  in  plead- 
ing the  promises — Prayer — Gloriation  in  God — The  Sa- 
viour's peace,  hope,  assurance,  spiritual  triumphs — 
Folly  and  danger  of  delay — Diligence  in  duty  urged — 
Obligations — Warning  against  unbelief — Unfitness  for 
Church  membership — Unfitness  for  heaven — Coming 
glory  of  the  Christian  Profession — Its  heavenly  and 
eternal  glory, 194 


LETTERS 


CHEISTIAN  PROFESSION, 


LETTER   I. 


INTRODUCTORY 


My  Dear  Friend:  — 

There  was  a  time  when  it  was  fashionable  to 
deny  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
to  sneer  at  the  religion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
as  a  cheat.  Then  you  might  have  heard  the 
would-be  philosopher,  and  the  young  man,  who 
wished  to  be  considered  wiser  than  other  people 
and  a  man  of  spirit,  affecting  to  laugh  at  the 
credulity  and  weakness  of  Christians.  Happily 
this  age  has  in  a  great  measure  gone  by.  There 
1 


10  INTRODUCTORY. 

is  a  great  deal  of  infidelity  in  the  world,  and  of 
iate  years  it  seems  to  be  again  on  the  increase ; 
but  it  has,  for  the  most  part,  to  keep  itself 
masked.  The  Bible  has  triumphed,  time  and 
again,  over  the  open  attacks  of  its  enemies,  and 
demonstrated  its  claims  to  the  faith  and  obedi- 
ence of  all  men,  as  the  sure  and  infallible  word 
of  the  Living  God.  With  a  few  extreme  excep- 
tions, all  classes  profess  to  revere  the  Scriptures, 
and  any  open  disrespect  to  them  is  regarded  as 
a  mark  of  ignorance  and  vulgarity,  or  reckless 
hostility  to  what  is  good.  Few  men,  who  wish 
to  pass  for  respectable  men,  dare  to  avow  their 
infidelity.  It  is  felt,  that  such  an  avowal  would 
expose  a  man  at  once  to  suspicion,  pity  and  con- 
tempt ;  hence  none  make  it,  but  the  recklessly 
depraved.  All  others  regard  themselves,  and 
wish  to  be  regarded,  as  Christians  —  in  theory, 
at  least,  if  not  in  practice  ;  and  most  men  would 
feel  insulted  to  be  called  anything  else.  The 
Scriptures  are  even  wrested  to  support  some  of 
the  very  worst  forms  of  infidelity. 

But  while  it  is  fashionable  to  call  the  Bible 
the  word  of  God,  and  to  count  Jesus  Christ  the 


PREJUDICES  AGAINST  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION.    11 

Saviour  of  the  world,  and  His  religion  divine,  it 
is  very  common  for  ungodly  men  to  denounce 
the  Churcli,  the  Gospel-ministry,  and  the  Chris- 
tian profession.  And  it  can  scarcely  have  escaped 
your  notice,  that  there  is,  especially  among  young 
men  and  business  men,  not  only  a  prevailing 
indifference,  but  a  prejudice,  against  making 
and  maintaining  a  Christian  profession.  It  is, 
in  many  quarters,  come  to  be  considered  rather 
unmanly.  It  is  regarded  as  something  becom- 
ing enough  for  the  weaker  sex,  and  for  the 
sickly,  the  hypochondriacal,  the  aged,  and  those 
drawing  near  the  tomb,  but  unworthy  the  atten- 
tion of  the  young  man  of  spirit,  or  the  vigorous 
aspirant  for  the  honors  and  emoluments  of  life. 
The  Christian  profession  is  regarded  as  a  gloomy 
thing,  full  of  discomfort  and  destitute  of  joy. 
When  a  man  joins  the  Church,  he  is  looked  upon 
by  many  as  signing  away  his  liberty,  and  becom- 
ing, in  some  degree,  unfitted  for  the  business 
and  enjoyments  of  life.  Professors  of  religion 
are  often  indiscriminately  called  hypocrites,  and 
it  is  a  saying  current  in  the  mouths  of  many, 
That  a  man  can  be  as  good  a  Christian  out  of 


12  INTRODUCTORY. 

the  Churcli  as  in  it.  The  necessity  and  import- 
ance of  the  Christian  profession  are  certainly 
not  duly  felt,  and  its  duties  and  advantages  are 
neither  understood  nor  considered. 

Perhaps,  my  young  friend,  you  are  living 
where  such  sentiments  as  these  are  entertained, 
and  may  yourself  be  a  subject  of  this  indiffer- 
ence, and  of  these  prejudices  ;  and  it  may  be, 
that  withal,  you  are  contenting  yourself  with 
the  hope  that  you  are  a  Christian,  and  that  it 
will  in  the  end  be  well  with  you,  though  you 
are  not  a  professor  of  religion.  If  this  is  your 
case,  you  are  in  a  very  unsafe  condition.  You 
are  living  in  disobedience  to  the  most  explicit 
injunctions  of  the  Eedeemer,  and  in  neglect  of 
his  appointed  means  of  grace.  In  refusing  to 
join  his  church,  and  profess  his  name,  and  walk 
by  the  laws  he  has  given  his  disciples,  you  are 
not  acting  the  part  of  a  friend  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  more  like  an  enemy ;  and  his  ene- 
mies know  how  to  claim  you.  You  are  robbing 
Christ  of  his  due  honor,  and  your  own  soul  of 
much  good ;  and  it  may  be  ill  —  sadly  ill  — 
with  you  in  the  end. 


THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION   DELAYED.        13 

Or,  you  may  be  delaying  to  make  a  profes- 
sion for  the  present,  purposing  to  do  it  after  a 
while;  and  this  may  have  been  the  case  with 
you  for  years ;    and  you  may  just  now  be  as 
little  inclined  to  own  Christ  and  take  his  yoke 
upon  you,  and  bear  it,  as  you  have  ever  been. 
With  your  delay,  your  difficulties  increase,  ra- 
ther than  disappear ;  and  instead  of  an  increasing 
interest,  you  experience  a  growing  indifference. 
If  this  is  your  condition,  your  soul  is  in  danger. 
Whatever  you  intend  to  do,  you  are,  for  the 
present,'  disobeying   Christ,  and   risking  your 
eternal  all.     You  know  not  what  instant  death 
may  surprise  you  in  this  state ;  and  should  you 
be  spared  even  to  old  age,  the  prospect  of  your 
doing  better  is  becoming  darker  and  darker, 
every  day  you  delay ;  and  when  you  come  to  be 
an  old  man,  should  you  live  to  be  an  old  man, 
you  run  a  great  risk  of  being  like  many  other 
old  men  in  our  land,  a  mere  worldling  —  a  cold 
respecter  of  religion  —  an  unfeeling  hearer  of 
the  Gospel  —  or,  a  hardened  scoffer. 

In  either  case,  you  need,  forthwith,  to  take 
the  subject  of  the  Christian  profession  into  serious 


14  INTRODUCTORY. 

consideration.  Eemember,  that  as  with  the 
heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  so  with 
the  mouth,  confession  is  made  unto  salvation. 
Eemember,  that  now  is  the  accepted  time,  and 
that  to-day  is  the  day  of  salvation.  And  what- 
soever your  hand  finds  to  do,  do  it  with  your 
might.  Summons  your  utmost  energies,  when 
the  interests  of  eternity  are  at  stake.  Hearken 
to  the  voice  of  Jesus  !  He  calls  to  you.  "  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I 
say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able.'' 

Possibly  you  may  have  made  up  your  mind 
to  join  the  Church,  or  may  already  be  a  profess- 
ing member,  and  yet  have  never  duly  considered 
the  nature,  importance,  duties  and  obligations, 
or  the  trials  and  supports  of  the  Christian  pro- 
fession. In  many  places,  it  is  fashionable  to 
make  a  profession  of  religion.  In  such  places, 
many  join  the  Church  without  thinking  much 
about  it.  It  is  expected  of  them  to  join  when 
they  come  to  a  certain  age,  and  it  would  be  odd 
in  them  not  to  belong.  It  would  be  gratifying 
to  their  parents  and  friends  for  them  to  join. 


FALSE  VIEWS  OF  ITS  NATURE  AND  DUTIES.     15 

It  will  add  to  tlieir  respectability,^  and  be  to 
their  interest.  It  is  also  desirable  to  have  one^s 
children  baptized ;  and  when  a  man  comes  to 
die,  it  will  be  comforting  to  reflect  that  he  be- 
longs to  the  Church,  and  that  he  has  received 
the  sacrament.  And  then,  all  that  will  be 
required,  is  some  knowledge  of  religion ;  a  decent 
respect  for  its  institutions;  a  life  free  from  vice; 
to  keep  the  Sabbath,  and  go  to  meeting,  and 
give  a  trifle  to  the  support  of  the  gospel ;  and 
should  one  have  a  fiimily,  perhaps  to  keep  up 
family  worship,  and  teach  the  children  the  cate- 
chism ;  and  the  way  these  things  are  attended 
to,  it  will  be  no  difficult  matter  to  satisfy  the 
Church,  provided  you  join  it.  It  is  to  be  feared, 
that  thousands  join  the  Church,  who  look  at  the 
matter  about  in  this  light,  and  consider  nothing 
more.  Such  certainly  need  to  take  a  new  view 
of  the  subject;  and  should  the  reader  of  this 
friendly  letter  belong  to  this  class,  I  would  say 
to  him,  My  Friend,  beware,  lest  while  you  have 
a  name  to  live,  you  be  yet  dead.  Take  heed, 
that  you  be  not  traveling  down  to  hell  with  a 
lie  in  your  right  hand.     The  kingdom  of  God  is 


i  o  INTRODUCTORY. 

not  a  mere  form,  but  a  living,  heartfelt  reality ; 
it  is  not  meat  and  drink,  but  righteousness,  and 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost — not  in  word, 
but  in  power.  With  all  your  profession  and 
forms,  Jesus  Christ  may  at  last  say  to  you,  De- 
part from  me ;  I  never  knew  you. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  loose  profession,  and 
a  great  deal  of  loose  walking  in  the  Christian 
profession.  Jesus  Christ  is  sorely  wounded  in 
His  own  house,  and  by  his  professed  friends. 
Custom,  instead  of  the  law  of  Christ,  seems  to 
be  the  standard.  Conscience,  with  many,  has 
very  little  to  do  in  the  matter.  There  is  not 
that  manifest  difference,  which  should  exist,  be- 
tween the  professed  followers  of  Christ  and  the 
people  of  the  world.  The  Church  is  too  much 
like  the  world,  and  everything  in  her  is  reduced 
too  much  to  a  worldly  standard.  Instead  of 
church-members  actino^  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  world  shall  be  constrained  to  take  knowl- 
edge of  them  that  they  have  been  with  Jesus, 
and  have  learned  of  him,  and  become  imitators  of 
him  ;  instead  of  being  living  epistles  of  recom- 
mendation in  favor  of  the  truth,  excellence  and 


^Ttp-; 


ITS  MORAL   POWER   IMPAIRED.  17 

power  of  the  Cliristian  religion,  their  imperfec- 
tions too  often  throw  stumbling-blocks  in  the 
way  of  persons  oven  not  wholly  destitute  of  seri- 
ousness, while  they  give  occasion  to  the  openly 
ungodly  to  blaspheme. 

It  is  evident,  that  the  nature  and  duties  of 
the  Christian  profession  should  be  more  studied 
by  church-members  themselves.  To  any  seri- 
ous-minded Christian,  the  thought  that  he  may, 
by  his  im-Christ-KJce  conduct,  have  proved  a 
stumbling-block  to  the  inquirer,  or  given  a 
handle  to  the  scoffer,  will  be  painfully  distress- 
ing. And,  my  Christian  friend,  may  you  not 
well  entertain  the  question,  whether  you  have 
been  guilty  in  this  matter?  And  with  this 
question  before  you,  Inay  you  not  well  take  a 
review  of  your  life,  and  a  survey  of  your  duties 
as  a  professing  member  of  the  Church  ? 

In  view  of  the  considerations  suggested  in 
these  remarks,  I  propose,  in  a  series  of  Letters,  to 
submit  to  your  candid  reflection,  a  few  thoughts 
on  the  nature,  duties,  importance  and  necessity, 
pecidiar  trials,  supports  and  consolations  of  the 
Christiayi  profession.    I  wish  to  write  as  a  friend, 


18  INTRODUCTORY. 

seeking  at  once  your  highest  good,  and  the  glory 
of  Christ ;  and  you  are,  for  your  own  sake  and 
for  the  love  of  Christ,  earnestly  entreated  to 
read  prayerfully,  in  the  fear  of  God.  Soon  we 
shall  both  appear  before  his  judgment-seat,  and 
give  in  our  account  respecting  the  matters  treated 
of  in  these  Letters. 

Yours, 


LET  TEE   II 


THE  NATURE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

My  Deah  Friend: — 

I  WISH,  in  this  letter,  to  call  your  attention 
to  the  nature  of  the  Christian  Profession.  It  is 
often  in  the  Scriptures  called,  confessing  Christ 
before  men: — "Whosoever  shall  confess  me  he- 
fore  men,  him  shall  the  Son  of  Man  also  confess 
hefore  the  angels  of  God ;  hut  he  that  denieth 
me  hefore  men,  shall  he  denied  hefore  the  angels 
of  God."— Luke  xii,  8.  "  That  if  thou  shalt  con- 
fess with  thy  mouth,  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt 
helieve  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  he  saved ;  for  with 
the  heart  man  helieveth  unto  righteousness,  and 
with  the  mouth,  confession  is  made  unto  salva- 
tion.'^— Eom.  x,  9,  10.     Jesus  Christ,  the  Eter- 


20  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

nal  Son  of  God  in  our  nature,  having  died  for 
us  and  risen  again,  and  being  by  the  right  hand 
of  God  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to 
give  repentance  and  the  remission  of  sins,  and 
having  called  us  by  his  grace  unto  fellowship 
with  himself  as  heirs  of  life  eternal,  calls  upon 
us  to  profess  our  faith  in  him,  and  our  love  and 
obedience  to  him,  and  publicly  and  openly  to 
espouse  his  cause,  service  and  glory,  in  this 
ungodly  world. 

The  state  of  matters  is  just  this : — Our  world 
has  apostatized  from  God,  and  the  human  race 
is  a  race  of  rebels  and  enemies  against  him ;  all 
have  sinned  and  all  are  living  in  sin.  The 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness ;  ungodliness  is 
popular ;  men  revel,  delight  and  glory,  in  that 
which  is  both  their  ruin  and  shame.  As  sin- 
ners, they  are,  in  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God,  condemned  to  endless  perdition ;  and  they 
are  so  utterly  debasecLas  to  be  wholly  incapable 
of  loving  God,  and  of  enjoyment  in  his  presence 
or  service.  They  are  irreconcilably  averse  to 
their  true  dignity  and  interests,  as  rational  and 
immortal  beings,  and  to  the  great  end  of  their 


PRINCIPLES   IMPLIED.  21 

being,  which  is  to  glorify  and  enjoy  God  forever. 
They  are  the  subjects  of  a  carnal  mind,  which 
is  enmity  against  God,  and  not  subject  to  his 
law,  neither  indeed  can  be.  They  need  an  atone- 
ment for  their  sin,  but  they  can  not  effect  it. 
They  need  a  change  of  heart,  but  they  can  not 
work  it.  They  are  without  strength,  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  and  everlasting  destruction 
is  before  them. — Eom.  ii,  8,  9 ;  2d  Thess.  i,  8,  9, 
with  Eph.  ii,  1,  3.  Now,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Eter- 
nal Son  of  God,  the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  the 
Creator  and  Upholder  of  all  worlds,  whom  all 
the  angels  of  God  worship,  has  come  into  the 
world  that  sinners  of  our  fallen  race  might  have 
life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  abundantly. 
Himself  the  True  and  Living  God,  he  yet  be- 
came man,  assumed  the  responsibilities  of  sinful 
men  to  the  broken  law  and  offended  justice 
of  God,  and  obeyed  and  died  in  their  room. 
He  loved  us  and  hath  given  himself  for  us,  an 
offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  a  sweet-smell- 
ing savor.  By  this  means,  he  purchased  par- 
don, and  obtained  the  Spirit  of  life  and  holiness. 


22  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

by  whose  agency  the  life  of  God  is  restored  in 
the  souls  of  sinners,  by  nature  spiritually  dead. 
Thus  he  becomes  the  author  of  eternal  salva- 
tion. Remission  of  sins,  spiritual  life,  and  ever- 
lasting favor  and  blessedness  with  God  are  pro- 
vided and  secured  in  his  name  and  by  the  merit 
of  his  surety,  obedience,  and  expiatory  death. 

These  things  are  proclaimed  in  the  Gospel 
as  the  free  gift  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ — 
they  are  proclaimed  and  offered  to  all — and  they 
actually  accrue  to  all  those  who  believe ;  that 
is,  to  all  who  simply  and  truly  accept  them  as 
the  gift  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Now  in  confessing  Christ  before  men,  we  make 
a  public  declaration,  that  we  do  own  and  ac- 
knowledge Jesus  Christ  the  Eternal  Son  of  God, 
who  became  man  and  died  for  sinners,  to  satisfy 
Divine  Justice  for  their  sins,  and  reconcile  them 
to  God,  as  the  Saviour,  and  the  only  Saviour  of 
sinners,  and  that  we  do  take  him  as  our  Saviour, 
and  love  and  honor  him  as  such.  He  is  the  Apos- 
tle and  High-Priest  of  our  profession.  We  avow 
our  faith  in  all  that  he  is,  and  in  all  that  he 
has  done,  and  in  all  that  he  reveals  as  a  Saviour. 


HIS   CAUSE   ESPOUSED.  23 

We  proclaim  our  belief  in  his  doctrines  and  our 
dependence  on  his  work,  and  profess  before  all 
men,  and  call  upon  men  to  bear  witness,  that 
we  take  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Author  and  Fin- 
isher of  our  faith,  and  that  we  build  our  eternal 
hopes  on  what  he  hath  done  and  suffered,  and 
on  what  he  continues  to  work  by  his  Spirit  and 
grace ;  and  that  we  have  no  other  hope. 

We  come  out  from  the  world,  and  proclaim 
ourselves  on  his  side.  We  leave  the  rank  and 
file  of  his  enemies,  and  join  in  the  ranks  of  his 
friends  and  followers.  We  publicly  engage  to 
be  the  Lord's,  and  solemnly  protest  that  we 
belong  to  him,  and  bind  ourselves  by  solemn 
covenant  to  be  his,  and  to  love  his  name  and 
serve  him. — Is.  xliv,  5 ;  Ivi,  6.  We  espouse 
openly  his  cause.  He  was  manifested  to  destroy 
the  works  of  the  Devil,  and  to  establish  a  king- 
dom in  righteousness  and  truth;  and  in  this  his 
great  work  and  undertaking,  we  enlist  in  his 
service  and  addict  ourselves  to  his  interests. 
We  then,  in  this  profession  engage  to  make 
common  cause  with  him  against  all  error,  and 
wickedness,  and  ungodliness ;  against  all  immo- 


24  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

rality  and  vice ;  against  all  that  is  derogatory 
to  the  glory  and  government  of  God,  or  the 
good  of  man ;  against  all  that  is  incompatible 
with  the  teachings,  the  spirit  or  object  of  that 
Gospel  which  proclaims,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  on  earth  peace,  good-will  toward  men." 

We  also  avow  Christ  to  be  our  Lawgiver  and 
our  King,  as  head  of  his  Church,  and  head  over 
all  things  to  his  Church ;  as  having  a  peculiar 
right  to  reign  over  and  control  us.  We  take 
his  yoke  upon  us,  and  engage  to  submit  to  his 
government;  to  make  his  will  our  law,  and  his 
Word  our  rule  of  conduct ;  to  abide  by  his  stat- 
utes, and  walk  in  his  commandments  and  ordi- 
nances. Every  professor  of  religion  is  profess- 
edly ''  under  law  to  Christ."  Christ  will  own 
no  man  as  his  disciple,  who  obeys  not  the  com- 
mand, "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
me ;"  who  does  not  submit  his  will  to  that  of  the 
Saviour,  inquiring  with  the  humility  and  obedi- 
ence of  a  loyal  and  loving  subject,  ''  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  do?" 

Now,  in  this  confession,  or  profession,  we  tes- 
tify against,  and  condemn  the  sin  and  apostasy 


SUBJECTION   TO   CHRIST   AS   LAWGIVER.         25 

of  the  world ;  we  renounce  sin,  and  the  sinful 
courses  and  erroneous  principles  of  the  world; 
own  subjection  and  swear  allegiance  to  God,  and 
avow  our  determination  to  lead  a  religious  and 
holy  life.  All  this  operates  as  a  rebuke  upon 
all  those  who  continue  to  live  in  sin  and  in  the 
rejection  of  Christ,  and  upon  all  who  do  not 
take  the  same  open  stand  which  we  do.  Hence 
this  profession,  if  consistent  and  decided,  will 
expose  those  who  make  it  to  the  hatred  of  the 
world,  and  to  reproach  and  persecution,  more  or 
less  open  and  violent,  according  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  age  in  which  they  live.  Of  this  our 
Saviour  gave  his  disciples  and  all  who  heard  him, 
full  and  repeated  warning:  "If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
cross  and  follow  me."  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  its  own;  but  because  ye  are 
not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of 
the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  you.''  It 
is  perfectly  natural,  and  therefore  a  thing  to  be 
expected,  that  the  ungodly  should  transfer  their 
hatred  of  God  and  his  Christ,  to  his  friends, 
who  bear  his  image  and  have  espoused  his  cause. 


^ 
« 


26  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

Other  professions  may  be  popular,  but  an  alien- 
ated world  hates  the  Christian  profession ;  and 
every  one  making  it  should  lay  out  his  accounts 
to  meet  with  indications  of  this  hatred.  All 
that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suflfer 
persecution.  Hence  moral  courage — that  moral 
courage  which  proceeds  from  faith  in  God  and 
love  to  Christ — is  necessary  in  order  to  make 
and  maintain  this  profession. 

This  profession  is  a  confession.  In  making  it, 
the  followers  of  the  Eedeemer  confess  that,  of 
which  men  naturally  are  ashamed,  and  own  to 
that  which  men  glory  in  denying.  There  is 
really  nothing  of  which  the  unrenewed  heart  is 
so  prone  to  be  ashamed,  as  it  is  of  a  vital  con- 
nection with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not 
only  Jews,  and  Pagans,  and  Mahometans,  and 
Infidels,  that  deny  Christ,  but  nominal  Christ- 
ians; carnal  men,  who  admit  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  and  who  would  wish  to 
be  called  Christians,  and  not  Pagans  or  Infidels. 
How  many  such  are,  nevertheless,  ashamed  of 
Him  as  their  Saviour,  as  that  One  whom  they 
personally  honor  with  a  spiritual  and  penitent 


VISIBLE    CHURCH   DIVINELY   ORGANIZED.       27 

reliance,  love  and  ol3edience  ;  and  tliey  take  good 
care  to  show,  that,  in  this  sense  they  are  not  his 
followers ;  and  often,  even  delight,  in  one  way 
or  other,  to  annoy  and  vex  those  who  are. 

In  the  Christian  Profession,  a  man  professes 
his  faith  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ — his  accept- 
ance of  his  salvation — his  willingness  to  ohey 
his  commands  —  and  his  enlistment  in  his  canse. 

The  Visihle  Church  is  a  society  composed  of 
those  who  make  this  profession.  It  is  the  will 
of  the  Saviour,  that  his  friends  he  united  and 
bound  together  in  one  organized  society,  placed 
under  certain  laws  and  regulations,  and  furnished 
with  peculiar  institutions ;  all  adapted  to  pro- 
mote the  growth,  prosperity  and  efficiency  of  the 
society.  This  is  a  most  wise  arrangement, 
founded  in  the  social  nature  of  man,  and  in 
harmony  with  the  whole  social  system  on  our 
earth.  The  friends  of  Jesus,  thus  associated, 
will  lend  mutual  aid  and  support.  Each  one 
will  he  benefited  by  the  arrangement,  and  will 
be  the  means  of  benefiting  his  brethren.  They 
all  need,  and  will  all  be  the  better  of,  favorable 
social  influences.      The   several    institutions  of 


28  THE   CHKISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

this  society,  too,  are,  like  all  the  institutions  of 
Heaven,  admirably  adapted  to  draw  out  these 
influences,  and  bring  them  to  bear  in  fullest 
measure ;  while  they  serve  to  concentrate,  direct 
and  invigorate  the  energies  of  the  Eedeemer's 
friends,  and  thereby  render  his  cause  successfully 
aggressive  in  our  world. 

This  society — the  Church — holds  a  prominent 
place  in  the  Scriptures,  where  it  passes  under 
different  names,  such  as  the  house  of  God;  the 
household  of  faith ;  the  church  of  the  Living  God; 
the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth;  the  fold  of 
Christ;  the  commonwealth  of  Israel;  the  kingdom 
of  God;  the  kingdom  of  Heaven;  the  body  of  Christ, 
etc.,  etc.  Everywhere  in  the  sacred  page,  it  stands 
out  to  our  view  as  having  a  prominent,  intimate 
and  vital  connection  with  the  religion  of  Christ, 
and  its  perpetuity  and  spread  in  the  world;  as 
the  preserver  of  the  truth  and  ordinances  of  the 
Eedeemer;  as  the  propagator  of  his  salvation  ;  as 
the  asylum  of  sinners  from  the  ungodly  influ- 
ences of  the  world,  and  from  sin  and  wrath  ;  and 
as  the  seminary  of  saints,  where  they  are  trained 
and  educated  for  heaven. 


THE   VISIBLE   CHURCH — HOW   DESCRIBED.      29 

Among  the  numerous  notices  of  this  society, 
which  appear  in  the  Word  of  God,  I  transcribe, 
for  your  perusal,  the  following :  "  There  is  one 
Body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in 
hope  of  your  calling ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism ;  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 
above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all.  For 
as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and 
all  the  members  of  that  one  body  being  many, 
are  one  body ;  so  also  is  Christ ;  for  by  one 
Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  Body,  whether 
we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or 
free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one 
Spirit.  But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace 
according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ. 
Wherefore,  he  saith,  when  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave  gifts 
unto  men.  And  he  gave  some,  apostles;  and 
some,  prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and 
some,  pastors  and  teachers ;  for  the  perfecting 
of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for 
the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all 
come,  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man, 


30  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness 
of  Christ ;  that  we  be  henceforth  no  more  chil- 
dren, tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  by 
every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men, 
and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait 
to  deceive ;  but  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may 
grow  up  into  Him  in  all  things,  which  is  the 
Head,  even  Christ ;  from  whom  the  whole  body, 
fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that 
which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the 
effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every  part," 
maketh  increase  of  the  body,  to  the  edifying  of 
itself  in  love.''— Eph.  iv,  1-16  ;  Cor.  xii,  12, 13. 
It  is  abundantly  plain  from  these,  and  from 
similar  passages  which  might  be  quoted,  that 
the  Church  is  a  society  founded  and  organized 
by  Christ  —  that  it  is  to  be  composed  exclusively 
of  the  avowed  friends  of  the  Kedeemer — that 
the  design  of  the  organization  is  the  perfecting 
of  its  members  and  the  enlargement  of  their 
number — and  that,  for  this  purpose,  it  is  made 
the  depository  of  the  doctrines  and  ordinances  of 
Christ,  which  it  is  to  preserve,  and  which  it  is  to 
keep  in  vigorous  application;  —  and  all  this,  in 


DESIGN   OF  THE   VISIBLE   CHURCH.  31 

order  that  it  may  be  the  great  instrumental 
agency,  by  means  of  which  the  religion  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  he  maintained  and  prop- 
agated, and  his  salvation  extended  to  the  ends 
of  the  earth. 

Hence  it  follows,  that  all  true  friends  of  Christ 
will  seek  to  be  connected  with  this  society ;  and 
that  the  Christian  Profession  can  not  be  made  in 
any  other  way,  than  by  joining  this  society. 
Hence,  we  read,  "That  the  Lord  added  to  the 
Church  daily,  such  as  should  be  saved ; "  or,  as  it 
might  be  rendered  more  literally,  "  the  saved ;" 
i.  e.  The  Lord  added  to  the  Church  all  those  who 
became  subjects  of  saving  grace  ;  daily  and  every 
day,  as  men  became  subjects  of  the  Eedeemer's 
saving  power,  they  joined  the  Church.  It  was 
by  doing  this,  that  they  complied  with  the  ex- 
hortation, "  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward 
generation."  It  is  only  by  joining  the  Church, 
that  a  man  can  give  the  proper  public  declara- 
tion, that  he  believes  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
accepts  his  salvation,  espouses  his  cause,  and 
means  to  wear  liis  yoke.     Hence  every  man  who 


32  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

would  pass  for  a  Christian,  must  belong  to  some 
branch,  or  other,  of  the  Church  of  God. 

There  are  two  commands  of  our  Saviour, 
obedience  to  which  seals  a  man's  profession, 
and  the  observance  of  both  of  which  is  insep- 
arable from  church-membership.  They  are, 
Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  same 
authority  which  says,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,"  and,  "  Eepent  of  your  sins,''  also 
says,  "  Be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,"  and,  '' Eat,"— '' Drink,"  — "  This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me."  And  the  heart  that  truly 
believes  and  repents,  obeys ;  and  the  law  of 
Christ  knows  no  way  of  professing  this  faith  and 
repentance,  but  by  obedience  to  these  commands  ; 
and  obedience  to  them  implies  church-member- 
ship. You  can  not  be  a  professor  of  the  reli- 
gion of  Jesus,  without  being  baptized,  and  par- 
taking of  the  supper  of  the  Lord  ;  and  this  you 
can  not  do,  without  profaning  these  ordinances, 
unless  you  are  a  member  of  the  Church. 
Yours, 


LETTEK  III 


THE  DUTIES  OF   THE   CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

Christians  a  peculiar  people  —  Their  peculiar  character  grows  out  of 
the  Gospel  as  a  scheme  of  mercy —  Motives. 

My  Deae  Frienb  :  — 

Let  me  now  invite  your  attention  to  the 
DUTIES  of  the  Christian  profession.  Christians 
are,  by  their  profession,  a  peculiar  people  ;  they 
are  not  of  the  world,  but  have  come  out  from 
it,  and  are  separate  ;  they  are  called  "  saints  ; " 
"  holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly  call- 
ing ;  '^  "  children  of  the  light  and  of  the  day, 
not  of  the  night,  nor  of  darkness ; ''  "the  chil- 
dren and  family  of  God ; ''  "  the  household  of 
faith ; ''  "  the  Church  of  the  Living  God ; ''  "  the 
body  of  Christ ; ''  ''  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  '^ 
3 


34  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

"  tlie  commonwealth  of  Israel;"  and  are  dis- 
tinguished by  other  equally  peculiar  and  strik- 
ing names  and  titles.  They  are  also  appointed 
to  be  "  the  light  of  the  world/^  and  "  the  salt 
of  the  earth  ;  '^  "a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,  to 
show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who  hath  called 
them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light." 
From  the  nature  of  their  profession  —  from  their 
relations  to  God,  to  the  Eedeemer,  and  to  the 
world  —  it  is  evident  that  they  occupy  a  most 
responsible  position,  and  that  their  profession 
involves  peculiar  duties. 

The  duties  of  this  profession  are  set  forth  in 
the  New  Testament,  especially  in  the  epistles  of 
Paul,  with  an  unction  and  warmth  of  affection 
admirably  suited  to  impress  the  mind  and  enlist 
the  heart.  One  thing  especially  worthy  of 
attention,  is,  that  these  duties  are  there  pre- 
sented as  growing  out  of  what  God  has  done 
for  us  through  Jesus  Christ ;  and  are  enforced 
upon  us  by  the  considerations  of  the  Saviour's 
love,  and  bound  upon  us  by  the  obligations  of 
his  grace.     They  are  urged  upon  us,  not  that 


CHRISTIAN    CHARACTER  —  MOTIVES.  35 

we  may  thereby  merit  divine  acceptance,  or  earn 
a  price  to  purchase  lieaven  ;  but  the  Christian 
professor  is  regarded  as  already  accepted  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  an  heir  of  heaven  through 
his  righteousness  ;  and  he  is  called  upon  to  per- 
form these  duties,  from  a  grateful  sense  of  his 
obligations  to  that  Saviour,  who  loved  him  and 
gave  himself  for  him  —  Avho  died  for  him  and  rose 
again  :  to  perform  them  on  the  principle  which 
David  expressed  when  he  said,  "  Thy  loving-kind- 
ness is  before  mine  eyes,  and  I  have  walked  in 
thy  truth  ; ''  again,  when  he  exclaimed,  "  What 
shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits 
toward  me  ? "  and,  again,  when  he  went  forth 
in  thanksgiving :  "  I  will  praise  thee,  O  Lord, 
wdth  all  my  heart,  and  I  will  glorify  thy  name 
forevermore  :  for  great  is  thy  mercy  toward  me, 
and  thou  hast  delivered  my  soul  from  the  lowest 
hell.'^ 

Thus  when  Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Eomans, 
calls  the  attention  of  the  Christians  of  that  city 
to  the  duties  of  their  profession,  it  is  not  till 
after  he  has  placed  before  them  an  exhibition 
of  God's  rich,  sovereign,  and  abounding  grace 


36  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

in  their  salvation ;  and  then  he  begins  in  the 
following  strain  :  —  "I  beseech  you,  therefore, 
brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable 
unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service ;  and 
be  not  conformed  to  the  world,  but  be  ye  trans- 
formed by  the  renewing  of  your  minds,  that  ye 
may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable, 
and  perfect  will  of  God.''  So  in  his  epistles  to 
the  Corinthians  :  —  "  What !  know  ye  not  that 
your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye 
are  not  your  own  ?  For  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price  ;  therefore,  glorify  God  in  your  body  and 
in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's."  "  What  fellow 
ship  has  righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ? 
and  what  communion  hath  light  with  darkness  ? 
and  what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial  ?  or 
what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infi- 
del? and  what  agreement  hath  the  temple  of 
God  with  idols  ?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  tha 
Living  God ;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in 
them  and  walk  in  them,  and  I  will  be  their 
God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.     Wherefore, 


CHRISTIAN   CHARACTER  —  MOTIVES.  37 

come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing ; 
and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  father  unto 
you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters? 
saith  the  Lord  Almighty.  Having,  therefore, 
these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse 
ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God. 
Eom.  xii,  1  ~  2  ;  1  Cor.  vi,  19  -  20  ;  and  2  Cor. 
vi,  14-18. 

In  like  manner,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians, 
he  first  directs  attention  to  the  unanswerable 
riches  of  God's  grace  in  Christ  —  to  the  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  a  love  exceeding  all 
dimensions,  and  passing  knowledge  —  and  then 
proceeds  to  urge  the  duties  of  the  Christian 
Profession,  in  the  following  language : — "  I,  there- 
fore, the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you,  that 
ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye 
are  called.''  "  I,  therefore,^'  —  that  is,  in  view  of 
the  unspeakable  love  of  God  which  I  have  en- 
deavored to  set  before  you,  —  "  beseech  you  to 
walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are 
called."— Eph.  iv,  1. 


38  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION.     - 

Let  us,  my  friend,  consider  a  moment  how 
this  appeal  would  present  itself  to  the  minds  of 
the  Christians  at  Ephesus.  They  are  addressed 
as  Christians  and  members  of  the  Church  of 
Christ,  living  in  the  midst  of  the  idolatrous  and 
the  ungodly.  The  vocation  wherewith  they  were 
called,  and  of  which  they  are  exhorted  to  walk 
worthy,  is  the  vocation  or  calling  of  the  Gospel. 
Like  their  gentile  neighbors,  they  had  been 
ignorant  of  the  true  God,  and  of  his  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  without 
Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  pro- 
mise, having  no  hoj)e,  and  without  God  in  the 
world.  They  had  walked  as  other  gentiles 
walked,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind  —  having 
their  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that 
was  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their 
hearts  —  and  had  had  their  conversation  in  the 
lust  of  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the 
flesh  and  of  the  mind,  being  in  all  respects 
children  of  wrath,  even  as  others  ;  as  deeply 
sunk  in  ignorance  and  idolatry,  as  basely  and 


CHRISTIAN   CHARACTER  —  MOTIVES.  39 

as  wretcliedly  enslaved  to  the  world,  the  devil, 
and  the  flesh.     But  God  had  called  them  hy 
his   grace.      While    their   neighbors,  acquaint- 
ances, and  near  friends,  still  lived  on  in  darkness 
and  sin,  they  had  been  called  into  God's  marvel- 
ous light.     They  had  learned  the  love  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus  —  had  experienced  his  life-giving 
grace  —  had  tasted  the  sweetness  of  pardoning 
mercy  through  the  blood  of  redemption  —  had 
been  made   accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and  had 
been  taught  to  hope  for  the  riches  of  the  glory 
of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints.     Such  was  their 
calling.     What  a  stupendous  change  had  they 
undergone  !     What  a  gulf  separated  them  from 
their  heathen  neighbors  !     How  deeply  indebted 
w^ere  they  to  the  love  and  sovereign  grace  of 
God  !     What  duties,  what  obligations,  rested  on 
them    as  Christians,   and   as   members  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  professing  to  be  called. w-ith 
this   high,  holy,  and   heavenly  calling!     And 
how  would  the  appeal  come  home  to  their  hearts : 
Walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  you 
are  called. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Gospel  has  by  a 


40  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

general  influence  elevated  society,  and  purified 
morals  in  Christian  lands,  the  change  which  a 
man  undergoes  in  becoming  a  Christian,  and 
the  difference  between  the  Christian  profession 
and  the  world,  are  not  now  so  striking,  but  still 
they  are  radically  and  essentially  the  same  as 
they  were  when  the  Apostle  wrote.  The  Christ- 
ian is  still  as  deeply  indebted  to  the  unsearch- 
able riches  of  grace  ;  the  pit  from  which  he  has 
been  delivered,  is  just  as  deep  and  fearful;  the 
benefits  conferred  are  just  as  great,  and  they 
have  been  procured  at  the  same  cost — the  sacri- 
fice of  the  Son  of  God.  The  language  addressed 
to  the  Christian  then,  may,  with  the  utmost 
propriety,  be  addressed  to  the  Christian  now: 
"  This  I  say,  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord, 
that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  gentiles 
walk,  in  the  vanity  of  their  minds,  having  the 
understanding  darkened,  being  alienated  from 
the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is 
in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  hearts. 
But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ,  if  so  be  that 
ye  have  heard  him,  and  have  been  taught  by 
him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus ;  that  ye  put  off 


CHRISTIAN  OBLIGATION  SAME  IN  ALL  AGES.   41 

concerning  the  former  conversation,  the  old 
man  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful 
lusts,  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind, 
and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness." 

Christians  are  still  by  their  profession,  a  pecu- 
liar people,  sustaining  peculiar  relations,  under 
peculiar  obligations,  and  having  peculiar  duties. 
Of  these  duties  I  shall  endeavor  to  present  an 
outline  in  my  next.  In  the  meantime,  let  me 
ask  you  to  read  prayerfully  the  twelfth  chapter 
of  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  the  fourth, 
fifth,  and  sixth  chapters  of  his  epistle  to  the 
Ephesians.     And  may  God  bless  the  reading  to 

your  soul. 

Yours, 


LETTER  IV. 


INTERNAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

[  The  Duties  of  the  Christian  Profession,  Continued.  ] 

My  Dear  Friend: — 

I  PROPOSE  in  this,  and  one  or  two  subsequent 
Letters,  to  give  you  an  outline  of  the  duties  of 
the  Christian  Profession.  I  say  an  outline — for 
nothing  more  on  a  subject  so  comprehensive  can 
be  attempted  in  the  space  of  a  few  short  Let- 
ters: 

L  The  first  duty,  that  which  lies  at  the  foun- 
dation of  this  whole  profession,  is  to  cherish  in 
your  own  heart  the  p-incipled  tvhich  make  the  gen- 
uine Christian  to  differ  fro7n  all  other  men. 
These  principles  are : 

1.  The  saving  and  heart-affecting  knowledge 


INTERNAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  43 

of  the  true  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This 
implies  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  as  rational, 
immortal  and  accountable  creatures,  as  sinners, 
and  as  sinners  favored  with  a  provision  of  mercy; 
the  knowledge,  too,  of  the  law  of  God  in  its 
extent,  and  spirituality,  and  sanctions ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation,  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

There  is  an  opinion  very  prevalent,  that  our 
doctrinal  views  are  of  little  moment,  provided 
only  we  are  sincere.  Accordingly,  many  set 
very  little  store  by  the  knowledge  of  religious 
truth — and,  practically,  it  is  not  cultivated. 
This  is  a  most  dangerous  fallacy.  As  rational 
agents  we  must  act  under  motives,  and  these  are 
supplied  in  the  facts  of  religion— of  which  facts 
the  doctrines  of  religion  are  but  the  statement. 
How  can  we  love  God  or  the  Saviour,  or  render 
an  intelligent  service,  with  appropriate  senti- 
ments of  love  and  gratitude  and  godly  fear,  if 
we  know  not  God  in  his  glorious  attributes  and 
gracious  purposes,  or  are  ignorant  of  the  Sa- 
viour in  his  character,  offices,  sufferings  and 
work?    On  this  subject  the  Scriptures  are  very 


44  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

explicit :  *'  This  is  eternal  life,  tliat  they  might 
know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  thou  hast  sent."  The  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus 
is  the  means  by  which  God  sanctifies  men,  and  fits 
them  for  his  service  on  earth,  and  for  happiness 
above.  Hence  the  prayer  of  the  Saviour — 
"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth."  The  apos- 
tle Peter  teaches  us,  that  if  we  would  grow  in 
grace,  we  must  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  But  we  should 
aim  at  more  than  a  speculative  knowledge — a 
knowledge,  which  puffeth  up — we  should  seek 
that  realizing,  heartfelt  knowledge  of  divine 
things,  in  consequence  of  which  the  things  of 
God  shall  take  possession  of  our  souls,  and  the 
truths  of  his  Word  become  habitually  controll- 
ing principles  of  action.  It  will  avail  us  nothing 
to  have  our  heads  full  of  religious  notions,  if  our 
hearts  are  not  established  with  grace.  Nay,  it 
will  only  add  to  our  condemnation :  "  To  him 
that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to 
him  it  is  sin."  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in 
word,  but  in  power. 

2.  True  faith  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    This 


INTERNAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  45 

is  more  than  a  mere  assent  to  the  doctrines 
of  Christ,  or  to  the  doctrines  taught  in  the  Word 
concerning  Christ.  It  is  a  taking  of  him  as 
offered  in  the  Gospel,  as  our  oivn  Saviour ;  and 
it  implies  a  renunciation  of  all  dependence  on 
self,  on  either  our  own  wisdom,  or  our  own 
righteousness,  or  our  own  strength ;  a  deep  feel- 
ing of  our  own  weakness,  guilt  and  depravity ; 
and  an  exclusive,  humhle  and  thankful  reliance 
on  the  righteousness  and  grace  of  Jesus  Christ, 
taking  God  at  his  word,  in  the  offer  which  he 
makes  of  Christ  to  us,  and  willing  to  he  saved 
in  the  Gospel  way — that  is,  saved  from  our  sins, 
and  purely  hy  grace. 

3.  Genuine  repentance  for  sin.  Here  the 
soul  sees  (particularly  as  exhibited  in  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ),  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin, 
its  hatefulness  and  danger,  and  hates  it;  and 
earnestly  longs  to  he  cleansed  from  its  pollution 
and  freed  from  its  power.  It  is  not  taken  up 
with  abstract  views  of  sin,  but  is  deeply  affected 
with  a  sense  of  its  own  sins,  and  likewise  of 
its  own  sinfulness ;  and  is  humbled,  rendered 
broken  and  contrite,  so  that  it  turns  away  from 


46  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

all  sin  witli  grief,  abhorrence,  and  disgust.  This 
state  of  mind  is  incompatible  with  the  reserva- 
tion of  any  known  sin,  or  of  any  known  neglect 
of  duty.  No  true  penitent  will  regard  sin,  in 
any  of  its  numerous  forms,  in  his  heart.  On 
the  contrary,  his  prayer  will  be,  "■  Wash  me 
thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me 
from  my  sin.  Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret 
faults ;  keep  back  thy  servant  from  presump- 
tuous sins.  Order  my  steps  aright  in  thy  word, 
and  let  no  iniquity  have  dominion  over  me. 
Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me 
and  know  my  thoughts,  and  see  if  there  be  any 
wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way  ever- 
lasting." 

4.  Love  to  God  and  to  the  Saviour.  A  su- 
preme esteem  of,  and  delight  in  his  excellence 
and  glory,  as  a  being  absolutely  holy  and  per- 
fect ;  a  grateful  sense  of  his  kindness  to  us  in 
creating  and  preserving  us,  surrounding  us  with 
so  many  comforts  and  mercies,  and  above  all  in 
providing  salvation  for  us  through  the  death  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  a  deep  feeling  of  the 
obligations  resting  on  us  on  account  of  these 


INTERNAL   CHAHACTERISTICS.  '47 

favors,  and  an  humble  readiness  and  fervent 
desire  to  serve  and  glorify  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
witli  all  our  powers,  and  to  the  greatest  possible 
extent. 

5.  A  spirit  of  universal  benevolence  —  of  true 
love  to  mankind,  and  especially  a  desire  for 
the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  men.  The  true 
Christian  is  taught  by  experience  the  worth  of 
the  soul,  and  he  knows  that  its  redemption  is 
precious.  The  law  of  the  second  table.  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,  is  written  on 
his  heart.  He  knows  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich,  for  our 
sakes  he  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  pov- 
erty might  be  rich ;  and  he  knows  that  the  same 
mind  should  be  in  him  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus.  A  principle  of  self-denying  benevolence, 
especially  such  as  sets  a  high  valuation  on  the 
souls  of  men,  and  prompts  to  labor  for  their 
salvation,  is  pre-eminently  a  Christ-like  prin- 
ciple ;  the  appropriate  effect  of  true  faith  in  his 
Gospel,  not  only  recommended  by  his  example, 
but  enforced  by  the  love  of  God  to  us,  and  na- 
tively growing  out  of  love  to  God  in  us. 


48  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

6.  The  love  of  the  brethren  :  that  is,  the  love 
of  all  who  give  evidence  that  they  belong  to 
Christ.  It  is  the  love  of  men  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  on  account  of  their  relation  to  Christ;  as 
objects  of  his  redeeming  love,  subjects  of  his 
grace,  partakers  of  his  image  and  spirit,  mem- 
bers of  his  family,  and  heirs  of  his  salvation. 
The  Christian  regards  and  loves  all  such,  as 
brethren ;  as  members  of  the  same  spiritual 
family,  and  heirs  of  the  same  hope,  and  cherish- 
ing the  same  interests  and  affections  with  him- 
self. "  If  we  love  him  that  begat,  we  will  also 
love  him  that  is  begotten  of  Him."  *'  Hereby 
shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples  ; — 
if  ye  love  one  another."  If  it  be  unnatural  for 
those  who  are  united  in  one  family  by  the  per- 
ishing ties  of  earth,  not  to  love  one  another; 
much  more  for  those  who  are  indissolubly  united 
in  the  family  of  God,  by  the  sacred  and  imper- 
ishable ties  of  grace,  not  to  love  one  another. 
"  Seeing  ye  have  purified  your  souls,  in  obeying 
the  truth  through  the  spirit,  unto  unfeigned 
love  of  the  brethren,  see  that  ye  love  one 
another,   with  a  pure   heart  fervently ;    being 


INTERNAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  49 

born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incor- 
ruptible, by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and 
abide th  forever.'' 

7.  A  spirit  of  identification  with  Christ.  With 
a  feeling  of  oneness  with  him  as  our  representa- 
tive in  law,  and  as  our  source  of  spiritual  influ- 
ences, there  should  also  be  a  cherished  identi- 
fication with  him  in  cause,  interest  and  object. 
Having  bought  us  with  his  blood — being  our 
wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification  and  redemp- 
tion— being  our  forerunner,  who  has  entered 
into  heaven  and  taken  possession  of  it  for  us — 
and  being  about  to  come  and  receive  us  to  him- 
self, that,  where  he  is,  there  we  may  be  also ; 
we  assuredly  should  feel  that  we  belong  to  him, 
and  should  make  common  cause  with  him  against 
all  that  is  evil,  and  goes  to  support  the  kingdom 
of  darkness,  and  in  favor  of  that  kingdom  which 
it  is  his  great  work  to  set  up  in  the  world.  This 
feeling  of  identification  with  Christ  is  admirably 
expressed  by  the  apostle  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Galatians :  "  For  I  through  the  law  am  dead  to 
the  law,  that  I  might  live  unto  God ;  I  am  cru- 
cified with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I 
4 


1^ 

50  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

but  Christ  liveth  in  me;  and  the  life  which  I 
now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for 
me." 

Finally — Connected  with  these  principles,  I 
would  mention  one  more,  namely,  a  fixing  of  the 
heart  on  heavenly  things.  Men  of  the  world 
have  their  part  or  portion  here ;  the  love  of  the 
world  is  their  ruling  affection ;  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life 
their  reigning  desires.  It  is  otherwise  with  the 
Christian.  He  is  risen  with  Christ,  and  has 
been  taught  to  seek  those  things  which  are  above, 
where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 
God  is  his  portion,  and  heaven  his  inheritance 
and  home.  He  is  dead,  and  his  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God ;  and,  when  Christ,  who  is  his  life, 
shall  appear,  then  shall  he  also  appear  with  him 
in  glory.  To  this  he  looks  forward  with  earnest 
expectation  and  hope,  as  the  grand  conclusion  of 
all  the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  temptations,  labors, 
and  conflicts  of  this  present  life.  Hence  the 
Christian  is  described  as  "looking  for  Christ," 
as  "loving  his  appearing,"  as  "looking  for  that 


INTERNAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  51 

blessed  hope  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  our 
great  God  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave 
himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all 
iniquity,  and  purify  to  himself  a  peculiar  people, 
zealous  of  good  works."  "For  our  conversation 
is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we  look  for  the 
Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto 
his  own  glorious  body,  according  to  the  working 
whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  to 
himself." 

These,  my  Friend,  are  vital  principles  in 
Christian  character,  and  lie  at  the  foundation  of 
all  that  is  either  peculiar  or  excellent  in  the 
Christian  Profession.  Without  these,  the  per- 
formance of  Christian  duties  is  but  a  formal  ser- 
vice—  a  body  without  a  soul.  Without  these 
principles,  though  a  man  may  keep  up  such  a 
form  of  religion  as  will  pass  him  for  a  decent 
professor,  he  will  not  show  that  power  and  spirit 
of  godliness  which  impart  a  character  of  life  to 
all  that  the  Christian  does ;  and  adorn  and  re- 
commend the  gospel  he  can  not,  as  one  who  is 
really  a  partaker  of  this  holy  calling.     In  all 


52  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

his  religious  performances,  lie  is  evidently  not 
in  his  element.  Some  unworthy  considerations 
may  stimulate  him  in  some  duties — in  some 
things  he  may  display  a  burning  zeal — but  in 
that  whole  range  of  duty  which  makes  up  the 
sum  total  of  a  Christian  walk  and  conversation, 
he  drags  heavily;  and  in  many  things,  chiefly 
in  those  which  specially  characterize  the  Christ- 
ian, he  is  totally  defective. 

I  have  spent  so  much  time,  my  Friend,  on 
these  inward  principles  of  the  Christian  life,  that 
I  shall  have  to  defer  till  my  next,  what  I  have 
to  say  on  the  outward  duties  of  this  profession. 
Ponder,  in  the  fear  of  God,  what  I  have  written ; 
and  oh  I  consider  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to  be 

a  Christian. 

Yours, 


LETTER   Y. 


PUNCTUAL  OBSERVANCE  OF  GOSPEL  INSTITUTIONS ; 
THE  PRACTICE  OF  THE  SOCIAL  VIRTUES. 

( The  Duties  of  the  Christian  Profession,  Continued. ) 

My  Dear  Friend: — 

In  my  last,  I  stated  that  the  first  and  funda- 
mental duty  of  the  Christian  Profession  is,  to 
cherish  those  inward  principles  which  make  the 
true  Christian  to  differ  from  all  other  men. 
And  of  these  I  took  occasion  to  specify  as  of 
vital  importance  in  Christian  character,  1.  The 
true  and  saving  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  2.  A  living  and  appropriat- 
ing faith  of  the  Saviour.  3.  Godly  sorrow  for, 
and  hatred  of  sin.  4.  Love  to  God  and  to  the 
Saviour.     5.  A  spirit  of  universal  benevolence. 


54  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

6.  A  spirit  of  identification  with  Christ.  7.  A 
fixing  of  the  heart  on  heavenly  things.  With- 
out these,  the  Christian  Profession  would  be  like 
the  body  without  the  spirit,  dead.  I  now  ask 
your  attention: 

II.  In  the  second  place,  to  the  outward  duties 
of  this  profession.  The  things  Avhich  I  have 
named  belong  to  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart, 
and,  although  they  show  themselves  by  their 
fruits,  are  in  themselves  discernible  only  to  the 
eye  of  the  omniscient  Searcher  of  the  heart,  and 
to  our  own  consciousness ;  but  what  remains  to 
be  named,  lies  open,  more  or  less,  to  human  ob- 
servation. 

1.  Every  professing  Christian  binds  himself 
to  the  devout,  regular  and  punctual  observance  of 
all  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel.  When  a  man 
joins  the  Church,  he  takes  upon  him  the  yoke  of 
Christ,  and  engages  to  walk  in  his  ordinances 
and  commandments.  In  the  great  commission 
to  his  ministers,  they  are  instructed  to  receive 
men  into  his  Church  on  no  other  condition  than 
that  of  implicit  subjection  to  his  will :  "  Go  teach 
(or  make  disciples  of)   all  nations ;  baptizing 


OBSERVANCE   OF   ORDINANCES.  55 

them,  (that  is,  those  who  become  disciples,) 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  command  you.'^  When  a  professor  of  religion 
is  known  to  neglect  the  daily  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  —  or  to  be  irregular  in  his  attendance 
on  the  preached  Gospel,  and  fruitful  in  excuses 
for  absence — when  he  is  noticed  to  be  often 
absent  from  the  house  of  God  on  sacramental 
occasions,  or  absent  at  all  other  times,  and  pres- 
ent only  on  such  occasions — when  he  forsakes 
the  prayer-meeting — when  he  is  known  to  live 
without  prayer  in  his  family,  or  to  be  irregular, 
hurried  and  formal  in  the  duty  of  family  wor- 
ship—  when  there  is  reason  to  suspect  that  he 
and  his  closet  are  strangers  —  or  when  he  is 
careless  and  irreverent  on  the  Sabbath,  or  neg- 
ligent as  to  the  Godly  training  of  his  children; 
when  a  professor  is  known  to  be  negligent  in 
any  of  these  duties,  the  world  judges  that  he  is 
not  what  he  professes  to  be — his  brethren  lose 
confidence  in  him,  and  all  aa'ree  that  there  is 
something  radically  wrong  in  that  man. 

And  so  there  is.     These  are  all  plain  duties. 
The  law  of  Christ  prescribing  them,  speaks  in 


56  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

terms  too  plain  to  be  misunderstood.  It  is  not* 
a  debatable  matter,  whether  these  are  duties  or 
not ;  and  the  man  who  neglects  any  one  of  them 
willfully,  in  that  particular  casts  off  the  authority 
of  Jesus  Christ  —  in  his  heart  renounces  his 
allegiance  to  the  Saviour.  And  the  very  spirit 
which  leads  him  to  do  so  in  one  duty,  would,  if 
circumstances  favored,  lead  him  to  do  so  in  all 
duties.  He  that  keeps  the  whole  law,  and  yet 
offends  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  all ;  for  the 
whole  authority  of  God  goes  to  sustain  every 
single  precept  of  his  law,  and  Avhen  that  pre- 
cept is  disregarded,  that  authority  is  disre- 
garded. 

Great  is  the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart. 
Men  may  bring  themselves  to  doubt  the  plain- 
est duties,  and  at  last  to  conceit  that  it  is  no  sin 
to  neglect  them.  Thus,  on  the  subjects  of  the 
sanctification  of  the  Sabbath,  of  family  worship, 
social  worship,  and  secret  prayer  —  duties  so 
much  neglected  by  professing  Christians  —  we 
have  the  clearest  intimations  of  the  Divine  will, 

Rememher  the  Sahhath-day  to  keep  it  holy,  is  a 
law  found  in  the  very  center  of  the  decalogue, 


SANCTIFICATION    OF   THE    SABBATH.  57 

and  never  repealed,  It  is  written  too  on  the 
heart  of  every  Christian.  Prophecy  foretold 
that  the  sons  of  the  stranger  that  should  join 
themselves  to  the  Lord,  to  serve  him,  and  to 
love  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  be  his  servants, 
would,  every  one,  keep  the  Sabbath  from  pollut- 
ing it,  just  as  certainly  as  they  would  lay  hold 
on  God's  covenant.  And  experience  verifies  pro- 
phecy. Where  is  the  spiritually-minded  Chris- 
tian, that  does  not  turn  away  his  foot  from  the 
Sabbath,  from  doing  his  pleasure  on  God's  holy 
day  —  that  does  not  in  his  heart  call  the  Sab- 
bath a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable  — 
and  that  does  not  on  that  day  honor  God  —  not 
doing  his  own  ways,  nor  finding  his  own  pleasure, 
nor  speaking  his  own  words  —  and  if  he  should 
at  any  time  be  betrayed  into  worldly  conversa- 
tion .  or  conduct,  is  not  grieved  ?  No  man  who 
labors  to  maintain  a  conscience  void  of  offense 
toward  God,  will  slight  the  Sabbath  ;  and  rarely 
will  you  find  a  man  doubting  its  obligations,  till 
the  restraints  of  the  Sabbath  and  its  influence 
on  society  become  inconvenient  to  him. 

Though  there  may  not  be  an   express.com- 
5 


58  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

mand,  formally  instituting  family  worship,  yet 
it  is  clearly  a  christian  duty.  It  commends 
itself  to  reason,  that  the  family,  being  a  cor- 
porate individual,  so  constituted  by  God  —  being 
dependent  on  him,  and  having  its  wants,  inter- 
ests, mercies,  sins,  trials  and  afflictions  as  a 
body  —  should,  in  its  corporate  capacity,  own  its 
dependence  on  God,  acknowledge  his  mercies, 
confess  its  sins,  implore  divine  forgiveness,  and 
ask  divine  succors  and  blessings.  It  also  com- 
mends itself  to  reason,  that  the  head  of  the 
family  should  lead  in  these  acknowledgments 
and  supplications,  and  that  he  should  do  it  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  lead  the  several  members 
of  the  family  to  a  sense  of  their  own  individual 
obligations,  dependence,  un worthiness  and  need ; 
so  as  to  cultivate  in  every  member  a  spirit  of 
piety  and  prayer.  It  is  because  it  is  a  duty 
dictated  by  nature  and  reason,  that  the  Scrip- 
tures are  not  more  explicit.  Yet  they  are  by 
no  means  silent.  We  read  of  the  patriarchs  — 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  —  that  wherever 
they  pitched  their  dwellings,  they  erected  an 
altar  to  the  Lord,  and  called  on  his  name.     It 


FAMILY  WORSHIP.  59 

was  evidently  the  practice  of  Job  ;  Job  i,  5.  It 
is  implied  in  the  resolution  of  Joshua  :  "As  for 
me,  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord." 
It  is  also  implied  in  David's  conduct,  when,  after 
the  public  services  connected  with  bringing  up 
the  ark  of  God,  he  returned  to  bless  his  house  ; 
and  likewise  in  his  resolution  to  "  walk  within 
his  house  with  a  perfect  heart.''  The  devout 
Cornelius,  even  before  he  was  instructed  in  the 
Gospel,  feared  God  with  all  his  house,  and 
prayed  to  God  always.  He  certainly  would 
not  abandon  the  duty  after  he  was  so  instructed. 
And  more  than  once  is  the  solemn  truth  clearly 
intimated,  that  God  will  pour  out  his  fury  upon 
the  families  that  call  not  on  his  name.  The 
devout  Christian  will  delight  to  assemble  his 
family  around  the  family  altar  in  prayer,  praise, 
and  thanksgiving,  and  reading  of  the  word  of 
God ;  he  will  feel,  that  it  is  a  good  thing  to 
give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  and  to  sing  praises 
unto  the  name  of  the  Most  High  —  to  show  forth 
his  loving-kindness  in  the  morning,  and  his 
faithfulness  every  night ;  he  will  feel  his  heart 
going  out  to  the  exercise,  and  if,  by  any  mis- 


60  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

chance,  the  duty  he  neglected,  his  feelings  will 
he  those  of  self-condemnation  and  self-reproach. 

No  less  plainly  ohligatory  is  the  duty  of 
Christians  to  meet  together  for  social  conference, 
mutual  exhortation  and  united  prayer.  We  are 
commanded  ''  not  to  forsake  the  assemhling  of 
ourselves  together,  as  the  manner  of  some  is, 
hut  to  exhort  one  another,  and  so  much  the 
more  as  the  day  approaches.'^  And  we  have  an 
example  equivalent  to  a  positive  command  — 
an  example  recorded  with  evidence  of  G-od's 
high  approhation  —  "  that  those  that  feared 
the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another,  and  the 
Lord  hearkened  and  heard,  and  a  hook  of  remem- 
hrance  was  kept  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord 
and  thought  upon  his  name  ;  and  they  shall  he 
mine,  saith  the  Lord,  in  that  day  when  I  shall 
make  up  my  jewels.''  No  professing  Christian 
that  gives  evidence  of  living  and  growing  piety, 
loves  to  forsake  such  assemhlies. 

And  in  relation  to  secret  prayer,  nothing  can 
he  more  explicit  than  the  command  of  the 
Saviour  :  "  But  thou,  when  thou  pray  est,  enter 
into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy 


SOCIAL  WORSHIP  —  SECRET   PRAYER.  61 

door,  pray  unto  thy  Father,  who  is  in  secret, 
and  thy  Father  who  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward 
thee  openly.''  We  cannot  conceive  of  a  man 
who  adorns  the  Christian  profession,  pleading 
inconvenience,  or  anything  else,  as  an  excuse  for 
not  retiring  to  pray  secretly  to  God,  as  a  stated 
and  regular  exercise. 

So  much  for  the  ohservance  of  the  institutions 
of  the  Gospel.  Under  this  head  I  might  en- 
large on  other  particulars,  such  as  the  daily 
reading  and  study  of  the  Scriptures,  self-exam- 
ination, the  regular  and  punctual  attendance  on 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  regular 
and  solemn  observance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in 
thankful  and  affectionate  commemoration  of  the 
Saviour's  death  ;  hut  these  things  are  so  plainly 
duties  of  the  Christian  Profession,  are  so  ex- 
pressly and  pointedly  commanded,  are  so  ob- 
viously essential  in  the  very  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  to  cut  off  all  need  of  argument 
or  proof.  No  man  can  neglect  these  things, 
without  sinning  against  the  direct  command  of 
that  Saviour  whom  every  professing  Christian 
solemnly  engages  to  obey. 


62  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

2.  But  along  witli  the  observance  of  Gospel 
institutions,  every  professing  Christian  is  bound 
to  cultivate,  with  special  care,  the  social  virtues. 
By  these,  I  mean  those  virtues,  which  obtain  in 
the  intercourse  of  man  with  man — the  hones- 
ties, the  charities,  the  decencies  and  civilities 
of  life.  These  virti^es  are  more  or  less  held  in 
universal  esteem,  especially  in  civilized  and  en- 
lightened society.  I  am  not  of  those  who  assert 
that  there  is  no  virtue  in  the  men  of  the  world. 
Such  an  assertion  would  be  false  to  fact.  There 
are  thousands  of  men  who  make  no  profession 
of  religion,  who  yet  scorn  lying  and  slander ; 
detest  meanness  and  dishonesty ;  abhor  drunk- 
enness and  profaneness^ — thousands  such,  who 
are  true  to  their  word,  just,  and  honest,  and 
liberal  in  their  dealings ;  pure  in  their  inter- 
course with  society,  and  dignified,  noble,  tender, 
affectionate,  and  obliging  in  the  various  rela^ 
tions  and  walks  of  life.  All  this  they  owe,  in  a 
great  measure  at  least,  to  the  moralizing  and 
elevating  influence  of  the  Gospel  on  society ;  an 
influence  which  the  Gospel  exerts  on  many  a 
man  who  nevertheless   rejects   the    Saviour   it 


OUTWARD   DUTIES— THE   SOCIAL  VIRTUES.     63 

reveals ;  an  influence,  however,  of  such  import- 
ance and  power,  that,  without  it,  they  might 
have  heen  as  blood-thirsty,  as  unfeeling,  as  pol- 
luted and  base,  as  the  most  degraded  barbari- 
ans, or  savages. 

But  if  the  Gospel  has  produced  this  effect  on 
those  who  are  only  under  its  general  influence, 
how  much  more  should  it  produce  it  on  those 
who  are,  professedly,  at  least,  under  its  special, 
sanctifying,   influence?     A  dishonest  professor 
of  religion — one  who  will  defraud  and  take  the 
advantage  in  a  bargain,  or  who  will  resort  to 
low  and  petty  artifice  to  make,  or  save  a  penny; 
a  professor  of  the  religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  that  will  lie  or  conceal  the   truth  for 
gain,  or  for  the  purpose  of  excusing  or  justify- 
ino-  himself  when  overtaken  in  a  fault ;  a  pro- 
fessor  of  religion,  that  will  slander,  backbite,  or 
defame   his    neighbor;    a   professor    that   will 
descend  to  low  ribaldry  or  obscenity,  or  foolish 
talking  and  jesting ;  or  one  that  will  sip  the 
drunkard's    glass;     or    one   that   will   oppress 
the  poor,  or  shut  up  his  bowels  of  compassion 
against  a  fellow  suffering  man ;  a  stingy,  nig- 


64  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

gardly,  closefisted  professor — one  that  is  desti- 
tute of  public  spirit,  and  always  lags  in  those 
enterprises  which  have  for  their  object  the  me- 
lioration of  the  condition  of  mankind,  the  im- 
provement of  society,  or  the  benefit  of  the 
commonwealth;  the  professor  that  is  morose, 
unsocial,  uncourteous,  disobliging,  churlish;  the 
professor  that  is  slothful  in  his  business,  and 
prodigal  in  his  habits — all  such  are  just  so  far 
breaking  their  Lord's  commands,  and  dishonor- 
oring  the  vocation  wherewith  they  are  called. 
They  are  defective  in  virtues  of  the  very  first 
moment  to  society — virtues  of  which  society  has 
a  high  esteem,  and  of  which  no  man  can  be  des- 
titute, and  be  respectable,  or  influential. 

The  practice  of  these  virtues  on  the  part  of 
the  Christian,  is  especially  necessary  in  order  to 
recommend  religion  before  men  of  the  world ; 
because  these  are  virtues  which  the  latter  most 
esteem ;  and  that  religion  which  does  not  pro- 
duce them  in  its  professed  subjects  can  not  fail 
to  be  undervalued  and  despised.  The  Christian 
should  then  abound — he  should  stand  pre-emi- 
nent— in  these   virtues.     They  are  the  ''  good 


OUTWARD  DUTIES — THE   SOCIAL  VIRTUES.     65 

works/'  by  wliicli  we  are  to  silence  gainsayers, 
and  by  which  we  may  hope  to  lead  observers  to 
glorify  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  "  He  that 
in  these  things  serveth  Christ,  is  acceptable 
to  God  and  approved  of  men."  It  is  to  these  vir- 
tues that  the  Apostle  exhorts  Christians,  when  he 
says,  "  Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are 
true,  whatsoever  things  are  honest,  whatsoever 
things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure, 
whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever  things 
are  of  good  report ;  if  there  be  any  virtue  and 
if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on  these  things.'' 

The  religion  of  Christ  urges  on  us  even  the 
courtesies  and  civilities  of  life.  It  does  not  pro- 
fess to  make  us  conformable  to  all  the  etiquette 
and  formalities  of  refined  and  fashionable  life, 
many  of  which  are  hollow  and  silly  in  the  ex- 
treme ;  and  the  Christian  should  be  plain,  sim- 
ple, and  unaftected  in  his  manners;  but  the 
Christian  must  not  be  boorish  nor  rude,  but 
"  courteous" — from  real  goodness  of  heart,  he 
must  show  himself  kind,  social,  obliging,  accom- 
modating, affable,  respectful. — 1  Pet.  iii,  8. 

But  there   is  one  important  point,  in  which 


66  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

the  Christian's  practice  of  these  things  must 
differ  from  that  of  worklly  men — he  must  prac- 
tice them  from  a  sense  of  duty,  from  love  to 
God  and  to  men,  and  not  from  selfish  princi- 
ples. "  Whatever  ye  do  in  word  or  in  deed,  do 
all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.''  It  is  this 
principle  which  renders  all  the  virtues  of  the 
Christian  acceptable  to  God — and  it  is  the  want 
of  this  principle,  which  renders  all  the  virtues 
of  the  man  of  the  world  condemnahle  before 
him.  With  the  searching  eye  of  his  omniscience, 
he  looks  through  the  fair  exterior  into  the 
heart,  and  disgusted  with  the  condition  of  things 
there,  exclaims,  "  I  know  you  that  the  love  of 
God  is  not  in  you." 

The  professor  of  the  religion  of  Christ  should 
study  to  excel  the  virtue  of  the  most  finished 
morality — especially  in  the  duties  of  justice  and 
mercy.  The  Gospel,  in  the  scheme  of  man's 
salvation,  makes  the  brightest  display  of  justice 
and  benevolence ;  and  it  proposes  the  example 
of  God  herein,  as  the  great  pattern  of  Christian 
virtue.  "  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect,  even  as  your 
Father  in  heaven  is  perfect."     "  Be  ye  holy,  for 


OUTWARD  DUTIES — THE   SOCIAL  VIRTUES.     67 

the  Lord  your  God  is  lioly.'^  The  Christian 
should  not  only  avoid,  hut  show  that  he  ahhors 
that  which  is  evil.  He  should  not  only  do,  hut 
he  should  cleave  to  that  which  is  good.  He 
should  avoid  all  appearance  of  evil.  His  actions 
should  he  such  as  to  show  that  he  loathes  all 
wrong-doing — that  iniquity  is  the  abominahle 
thing  which  he  hates — that  he  despises  what  is 
vile — that  he  belongs  to  a  peculiar  people,  who 
are  zealous  of  good  works. 

Especially  should  the  Christian  excel  in  the 
duties  of  benevolence.  The  Gospel  is  above  all 
things  a  religion  of  benevolence.  Taking  its 
origin  in  the  wondrous  benevolence  of  God,  its 
grand  design  is  to  produce  benevolence  in  men. 
Its  language  is,  "Be  ye  imitators  of  God,  as 
dear  children,  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also 
hath  loved  us,  and  given  himself  an  offering 
and  a  sacrifice  unto  God  for  a  sweet-smell- 
ing savor.  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God, 
because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us  ;  and  we 
ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren. 
Ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he 


68  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

became  poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might 
be  made  rich.  Let  the  same  mind  be  in  you 
which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.  We  have  known 
and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us.  God 
is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth 
in  God,  and  God  in  him.  Love  your  enemies ; 
bless  them  that  curse  you;  do  good  to  them 
that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  that  despite- 
fully  use  you  and  persecute  you,  that  ye  may  be 
the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ; 
for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and 
on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and 
on  the  unjust.'^  Such  a  religion  as  this  relaxes 
the  rigid  selfishness  of  the  human  heart ;  and 
warms,  and  softens,  and  enlarges  it  with  the 
tenderest  sympathies  of  kindness,  pity,  and 
good-will.  It  makes  the  Christian  feel  not  only 
for  a  suffering  brother  in  the  Gospel,  but  for  a 
suffering  brother  in  the  great  family  of  man. 
The  Christian  professor  that  can  oppress  his 
fellow-man,  that  can  turn  aside  the  stranger 
from  his  rights ;  that  can  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
cause  of  the  fatherless  and  widow,  or  to  the  cry 
of  the   poor;    that  can  draw  his  purse-strings 


OUTWARD    DUTIES — BENEVOLENCE.  69 

close,  because  the  sufferer  does  not  belong  to  his 
sect  or  to  his  Church;  that  can  adopt  the 
maxim,  *'  Let  the  Devil  take  care  of  his  own 
poor,"  or  who  can  look  witli  apathy  on  the 
wants  and  the  woes  of  those  who  are  perishing 
through  want  of  the  bread  of  life,  shows  that 
he  is  a  stranger  to  that  Gospel  which  he  pro- 
fesses— a  stranger  to  its  spirit,  as  well  as  a 
rebel  to  its  injunctions.  Christ  died  for  the 
ungodly,  he  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners; 
and  the  man  who  has  drunk  into  his  spirit,  will 
learn  to  ch  good  unto  all  men. 

Mj  dear  friend,  the  professing  Christian  can 
not  attach  too  much  importance  to  the  social 
virtues.  If  by  neglecting  the  duties  of  religion, 
he  virtually  disowns  allegiance  to  Christ,  he 
equally  belies  his  profession  and  brings  special 
dishonor  on  the  Saviour,  if  he  fails  in  the  culti- 
vation and  practice  of  these  virtues.  Here,  as 
in  everything  else,  he  should  be  blameless  and 
harmless,  a  child  of  God  without  rebuke,  in  the 
midst  of  a  perverse  and  crooked  generation,  and 
shining  as  a  light  in  the  world.  It  is  by  these 
virtues  especially,  that  he  will,  in  the  eyes  of 


70  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

the  world,  adorn  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  recommend  it  to  their 
favorable  regards. 

Let  me  close  this  long  letter  in  the  words  of 
the  apostle  Peter :  ''  Dearly  beloved,  I  beseech 
you  as  strangers  and  pilgrims,  abstain  from 
fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul ;  hav- 
ing your  conversation  honest  among  the  gen- 
tiles, that  whereas  they  speak  against  you  as 
evil-doers,  they  may  by  your  good  works,  which 
they  shall  behold,  glorify  God  in  the  day  of 
visitation.'' 

Yours, 


LETTER  Yl. 


THE  PASSIVE  VIRTUES. 

[  The  Duties  of  the  Christian  Profession,  Continued.  ] 

My  Dear  Friend  : — 

In  my  last,  I  endeavored  to  turn  your  atten- 
tion to  some  of  the  outward  duties  of  the  Christ- 
ian Profession.  In  the  course  of  my  remarks, 
two  classes  of  these  were  brought  briefly  under 
review:  1.  The  devout,  regular  and  punctual 
observance  of  all  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel ; 
and,  2.  The  pre-eminent  culture  of  the  social 
virtues.     I  shall  next  notice : 

3.  As  my  third  particular  under  this  head, 
the  duty  of  the  professed  Christian  to  cultivate, 
and  exhibit,  a-  Christian  disposition.  Here  it 
becomes  him  to  mortify  and  subdue  certain  tem- 


72  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

pers  and  disjDOsitions,  wliicli  are  not  only  not 
disgraceful,  but  reputable  and  admired  in  the 
world ;  and  to  cultivate  the  contrary  tempers 
and  dispositions  —  tempers  and  dispositions, 
wliicli  are  peculiar  to  the  Gospel,  and  either 
underrated,  or  despised  in  the  world.  The 
Christian  tempers  to  which  I  refer,  are  humil- 
ity, meekness,  self-denial,  forbearance,  forgive- 
ness. These  make  up  that  character  which  the 
world  counts,  and  aftects  to  despise  as  mean- 
spirited,  tame,  and  abject — the  very  reverse  of 
what  it  admires  as  high-minded,  full  of  spirit, 
jealous  of  honor,  quick  in  resentment.  But, 
while  the  Christian  should  cultivate  true  nobility 
of  soul,  and  of  all  men  be  the  farthest  removed 
from  what  is  really  mean  or  abject,  it  yet  be- 
hooves him  to  think  lowly  of  himself — to  be 
clothed  with  humility — and,  in  lowliness  of 
mind,  to  esteem  others  better  than  himself.  It 
behooves  him  to  be  meek,  yielding  and  comply- 
ing ;  to  be  silent  and  gentle  under  rudeness  and 
insult ;  to  forgive  and  suffer,  rather  than  retali- 
ate or  revenge ;  to  sue  for  reconciliation,  instead 
of  demanding  satisfaction  ;  to  bear  and  forbear 


.-P 


"i'-.#*. 


THE   PASSIVE   VIRTUES.  73 

with  tlie  insolence,  the  prejudices,  and  passions 
of  those  with  whom  he  has  to  deal ;  often  to 
deny  himself  for  the  sake  of  peace  —  always 
those  feelings  of  resentment  which  wounded  and 
excited  nature  prompts — and,  not  unfrequently, 
even  his  rights  which  he  might  lawfully  claim. 
This  was  the  character  which  Jesus  maintained, 
and  in  which  he  left  us  an  example.  He  was 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart ;  when  he  was  reviled 
he  reviled  not  again ;  and  when  he  suffered,  he 
threatened  not.  He  forgave  his  enemies,  and 
prayed  that  Heaven  might  forgive  them. 

When  he  hegan  his  public  ministry,  this  was 
the  character  which  he  commended  and  blessed : 
"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  blessed  are  they  that  mourn, 
for  they  shall  be  comforted;  blessed  are  the 
meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth  ;  blessed 
are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy ; 
blessed  are  the  peace-makers,  for  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  God."  And  afterward  he 
prescribed  the  terms  on-^vhich  alone  a  man  could 
be  his  disciple :  "If  any  man  will  come  after 
6 


74  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  me/^ 

These  are  virtues,  in  the  cultivation  of  which 
chiefly,  Christians  would,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
Apostles,  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith 
they  are  called.  For  example,  the  Apostle  Paul 
writing  to  the  Christians  of  Ephesus,  after  ex- 
horting them  to  walk  worthy  of  their  Christian 
vocation,  adds  immediately,  by  way  of  telling 
them  how  to  do  so,  these  words:  "  With  all  low- 
liness and  meekness  ;  ivith  long-suffering,  forbear- 
ing one  another  in  love,^^  And,  again,  shortly 
after,  in  the  same  chapter:  "  Be  ye  angry,  and 
sin  not;  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your 
wrath.  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger, 
and  clamor,  and  evil-speaking,  bo  put  away  from 
you,  with  all  malice.  And  be  ye  kind  to  one 
another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another, 
even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven 
you."  In  another  epistle,  he  shows  what  im- 
portance he  attaches  to  these  passive  virtues,  by 
writing  in  the  following^  strain :  "  Put  on,  there- 
fore, as  the    elect   of  God,  holy  and  beloved, 


THE   PASSIVE  VIRTUES.  75 

bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind, 
meekness,  long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another, 
and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man  have  a 
quarrel  against  any ;  even  as  Christ  forgave  you, 
so  also  do  ye.  And  above  all  these  things,  put 
on  charity  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness,  and 
let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the 
which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body.'' 

Not  only  in  the  world  without,  but  also  in  the 
Church  of  God,  in  consequence  of  the  imperfec- 
tions, the  infirmities,  and  the  selfishness  of 
brethren,  will  the  professing  Christian  find 
much  to  annoy  and  excite.  But  let  him  study, 
and  at  all  times  set  before  him,  the  example  of 
his  meek  and  lowly  Master,  and  strive  to  grow 
into  his  very  temper  and  spirit.  Thus  even  the 
proud  world  will  take  knowledge  of  him,  that 
he  has  been  with  Jesus ;  and  Zion  shall  be  a 
peaceful  habitation ;  Jerusalem  a  vision  of  peace, 
and  there  the  Lord  will  command  his  blessino". 
even  life  forevermore.  Unspeakable  is  the 
moral  influence  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit ;  and 
incalculable  would  be  the  moral  power  of  the 
Church,  if  such  a  spirit  pervaded  all  her  mem- 


76  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

bers.  But  if  professors  of  religion  are  destitute 
of  such  a  spirit ;  if  on  the  contrary,  they  are 
governed  by  worldly  principles  in  those  matters 
which  are  calculated  to  annoy,  or  to  rouse  resent- 
ment, or  excite  passion ;  if  they  are  haughty, 
high-spirited,  easily  provoked,  scornful,  impla- 
cable, spiteful,  unforgiving,  unyielding,  slow  to 
reconciliation,  the  world,  looking  on,  will  draw 
one  of  two  conclusions — either  that  such  persons 
are  strangers  to  the  religion  of  their  Master,  or 
that  that  religion  is  a  farce.  Strange  as  it  may 
appear,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  while  worldly 
men  cherish  and  admire  what  is  sometimes  called 
pride  of  honor,  with  its  accompanying  resent- 
ments, they  yet  condemn  this  spirit  in  the 
Church ;  and  any  exhibition  of  it  in  professed 
Christians,  tends  to  lower  Christianity  in  their 
esteem.  Too  often,  also,  when  evil  passions  are 
stirred  in  the  Church,  they  are  characterized  by 
a  violence  and  asperity  which  the  moral  sense 
of  the  world  would  condemn,  even  in  worldly 
men. 

In  taking  upon  us  the  yoke  of  Christ,  we 
should  feel  that  it  is  one  part,  and  a  very  prom- 


<•% 


THE   PASSIVE  VIRTUES.  77 


inent  part  of  our  profession,  to  put  a  guard  upon 
our  own  spirit — -that  we  are,  by  our  profession, 
followers,  and  therefore  should  be  imitators,  of 
Him,  who  was  meek  and  lowly  in  heart. 
Yours, 


LETTER    YII 


STUDYING  THE  PROSPERITY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

[  The  Duties  of  the  Christian  Frofession,  Concluded.  ] 
My  Dear  Friend: — 

The  next,  and  the  last  duty  of  the  Christian 
Profession  to  which  I  shall  direct  your  atten- 
tion, is  that  of  studying  the  welfare  of  the  Christ- 
ian commonwealth.  Every  memher  of  the  Church 
will  do  so,  who  is  a  loyal  subject  in  the  Eedeem- 
er's  kingdom.  The  purity,  the  peace,  and  the 
prosperity  of  the  Church,  are  objects  which 
should  be  near  and  dear  to  the  heart  of  every 
member.  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  ; 
they  shall  prosper  that  love  thee,"  is  the  exhor- 
tation of  the  inspired  Psalmist,  to  which  the 
heart  of  every  loyal  citizen  of  Jerusalem  will 


DEVOTEDNESS   TO   THE   CHURCH.  79 

respond :  "  Peace  be  witliin  thy  walls,  and  pros- 
perity within  thy  palaces !  For  my  brethren 
and  companions'  sake,  I  will  now  say.  Peace  be 
within  thee  !  Because  of  the  house  of  the  Lord 
our  God,  I  will  seek  thy  good.'' 

This  object  is  greatly  promoted  by  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties,  and  the  practice  of  the 
virtues  specified  in  my  previous  Letters.  That 
Christian,  who  instinct  with  the  principles,  and 
moved  by  the  promptings  of  a  living  faith  in 
Christ,  observes  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel, 
is  adorned  with  the  social  virtues,  and  cherishes 
a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  is  the  man,  who  most, 
according  to  his  condition  and  relations  in  so- 
ciety, promotes  the  good  of  Zion.  If  we  would 
build  up  the  true  interest  of  the  Church,  we 
must  ourselves  be  living,  exemplary.  Christians. 
That  man  can  b.e  of  little  use  to  the  cause  of 
Christ,  who  does  not  himself  deny  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  and  live  soberly,  and  right- 
eously, and  godly,  in  this  present  world. 

But  there  are  some  things  of  special  import- 
ance, under  this  head,  which  deserve  to  be  par- 
ticularly noticed :  ^ 


80  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

First  The  exercise  of  brotherly  love  and  a 
spirit  of  peace.  The  Apostle  says:  *' Let  us, 
therefore,  follow  after  those  things  which  make 
for  peace,  and  things  whereby  one  may  edify 
another."  Without  unity  of  spirit — unity  of 
sentiment,  feeling  and  object — in  its  members, 
the  Church  can  not  prosper.  Every  body  must 
have  its  proper  spirit,  or  that  body  will  die — and 
with  that  spirit  every  member  should  be  instinct, 
if  the  body  is  to  have  a  healthy  existence,  and  a 
vigorous  growth.  Tlie  common  spirit  of  the 
body  must  so  take  possession  of  all  the  mem- 
bers, that  all  selfish  feelings  shall  be  effectually 
checked  and  controlled,  and  all  individual 
interests  merged  in  devotion  to  the  common 
good.  Tender  and  endearing  bonds  bind  Christ- 
ians in  one  ;  and  their  religion,  in  its  very  spirit 
and  nature,  imposes  on  them  the  duties  of  broth- 
erly kindness,  humility,  meekness,  long-suffer- 
ing, forbearance,  and  preferring  one  another  in 
love  ;  and  without  these,  the  unity  and  spirit  of 
the  body  can  not  be  preserved.  Hence  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Apostle :  "  With  all  lowliness  and 
meekness,  with   long-suffering,  forbearing  one 


BROTHERLY   LOVE   AND   PEACE.  81 

another  in  love  ;  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  .^.-^ 

of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace." 

They  who,  in  their  Christian  profession,  dwell 
not  together  in  unity,  and  peace,  and  active 
brotherly  love,  walk  not  as  becomes  the  Gospel — 
walk  not  worthy  of  their  vocation — and  expose 
themselves  to  the  withdrawal  of  God's  Spirit, 
and  religion  to  the  triumphs  of  infidelity.  They 
profess  to  be  one  body  and  one  spirit,  and  to  be 
called  in  one  hope  of  their  calling ;  to  have  one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all,  who  is  above  all  and  through  all,  and  in 
them  all.  Then  should  they  be  of  one  heart 
and  one  soul ;  and  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with 
one  mind,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel.  And  how  is  this  to  be  done?  Not  by 
cherishing  ambition,  pride,  and  self-conceit — not 
by  cold,  distant,  unbrotherly,  unneighborly  con- 
duct— not  by  shyness — not  by  readily  taking 
offense  and  indulging  evil-surmisings — not  by 
cherishing  bad  feelings  and  shunning  explana- 
tion, till  reconciliation  becomes  impossible — not 
by  stubborn  refusal  to  make  concession,  and 
stern,  resentful  demands  for  satisfaction ;  but^ 
7 


82  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

by  lowliness  of  mind,  keeping  down  everything 
like  vain-glory,  provocation,  and  envy — by  bear- 
ing with  the  infirmities  of  the  weak — by  candid 
and  prompt  confession  of  our  faults  to  one 
another — by  a  friendly,  tender,  courteous  and 
conciliating  deportment — by  free  and  familiar 
intercourse — ^by  candid  and  timely,  unreserved 
and  friendly  explanation.  Such  as  these  are  the 
measures  by  which  the  members  of  the  Church 
should  endeavor  to  prevent  any  root  of  bitter- 
ness from  springing  up  to  trouble  and  defile 
them ;  and  labor  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

Second.  It  is  essential  to  the  prosperity  and 
vigorous  efficiency  of  the  Church,  that  her  doc- 
trines and  principles  be  explicitly  avowed,  and 
firmly  maintained.  To  this  end  they  should  be 
understood  by  all  her  members,  and  they  should 
hold  themselves  ready,  on  all  proper  occasions, 
to  declare  and  defend  them.  If  it  is  their  duty 
to  stand  fast  in  one  mind  and  with  one  spirit,  it 
is  in  striving  for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  We 
are  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  deliv- 
ered to  the  saints.     The  Grospel  is  the  wisdom 


A   DECIDED   DOCTRINAL  TESTIMONY.  83 

of  God,  and  tlie  power  of  God,  unto  salvation. 
It  is  by  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  that  the 
Church  as  a  whole,  and  her  members  individu- 
ally, are  to  grow  up  unto  a  perfect  man ;  and  it 
is  by  this  truth,  that  she  is  to  obtain  the  con- 
quest of  the  world.  Every  member  of  the 
Church  should  both  have  his  own  heart  estab- 
lished with  the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  be  pre- 
pared, as  occasions  serve,  to  teach  them  to  others. 
Too  many  professors  of  religion  content  them- 
selves with  low  attainments  in  Christian  knowl- 
edge ;  are  culpably  indifferent  as  to  whether  their 
faith  stands  in  the  wisdom  of  men  or  in  the 
power  of  God ;  and  give  themsolves  little  trouble 
to  discriminate  between  truth  and  error.  They 
are  too  willing  to  be  children,  tossed  to  and  fro, 
and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine, 
by  the  sleight  of  men  and  cunning  craftiness, 
whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive.  No  church 
can  prosper,  made  up  of  such  members. 

Third.  Free  religious  conversation,  is  a  happy 
means  of  promoting  mutual  confidence  and  love 
in  brethren;  and  thereby,  the  life  and  power 
of  religion  in  the  Church.     Christians  should 


■i' 


ft 

84  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

not  only  let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  them 
richly,  in  all  wisdom,  hut  they  should  teach  and 
admonish  one  another ;  they  should  talk  together 
of  the  things  of  God,  and  should  speak  often  one 
to  another.  They  are  associated  in  one  body, 
that  they  may  have  a  mutual  sympathy ;  and 
are  appointed  to  exercise  over  one  another  an 
affectionate  watch  and  care.  Hence  such  injunc- 
tions as  the  following :  ''  Take  heed  lest  there 
be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in 
departing  from  the  living  God ;  but  exhort  one 
another  daily,  while  it  is  called,  to-day,  lest  any 
of  you  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of 
sin;  looking  diligently  lest  any  man  fail  of 
the  grace  of  God ;  lest  any  root  of  bitterness, 
springing  up,  trouble  you,  and  thereby  many  be 
defiled." 

One  sad  mark  of  a  low  state  of  religion,  is  the 
worldly  conversation  of  its  professors,  and  their 
shyness  to  interchange  views  and  feelings  on 
practical  and  experimental  religion.  "  Out  of 
the  abundance  of  the  heart,  the  mouth  speak- 
eth."  If  our  hearts  were  in  heaven,  our  conver- 
sation would  be  there.     If  we  duly  appreciated 


MEETINGS  FOR  CONFERENCE  AND   PRAYER.     85 

and  felt  what  God  has  done  for  us,  we  would  be 
saying  with  David,  "  Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that 
fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done 
for  my  soul." 

What  are  sometimes  called  "  Class-meetings" 
and  "  Experience-meetings,"  have  sometimes 
been  conducted  in  such  a  manner  as  to  foster 
vanity,  ignorance,  self-righteousness,  and  strife, 
rather  than  godly  edifying.  The  workings  of  a 
deceitful  heart  and  the  reveries  of  an  unin- 
formed mind,  and  the  fancies  of  a  heated  imagi- 
nation, have  been  substituted  for  the  "  sure 
word  of  prophecy,"  and  its  plain,  practical,  and 
experimental  teachings.  But  such  things  are 
only  an  abuse  of  an  institution,  which,  if  pro- 
perly conducted,  is  admirably  adapted  to  promote 
the  edification  of  the  Church.  Well-conducted 
meetings  for  conference  and  prayer,  in  the  dif- 
ferent districts  of  congregations,  would  have  a 
happy  effect  in  exciting  a  spirit  of  inquiry, 
knowledge  and  piety,  among  the  people  of  God. 
Such  meetings  have  been  kept  up  from  of  old, 
and  Heaven  has  regarded  them  with  special 
interest  and  favor.    In  the  times  of  Malachi — a 


86  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

day,  like  this,  of  rebuke  and  blasphemy,  of  wick- 
edness and  infidelity — they  that  feared  the  Lord 
spoke  often  one  to  another ;  and  the  Lord  heark- 
ened and  heard  it ;  and  a  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  him,  for  them  that  feared 
the  Lord  and  thought  upon  his  name.  Let 
Christians  think  of  the  day  to  which  organized 
infidelity,  multiform  error,  and  an  overspreading 
worldliness  are  hastening  the  Church,  and  let 
them  hearken  to  the  Apostle :  "  Forsake  not 
the  assembling  of  yourselves  together,  as  the 
manner  of  some  is  ;  but  exhort  one  another,  and 
so  much  the  more  as  ye  see  the  day  approaching." 
Fourth.  It  would  contribute  much  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Church,  if  her  members  would 
assiduously,  yet  wisely,  exert  their  influence  to 
bring  those  who  are  without  to  appreciate  and  '^.'i 
improve  the  privileges  of  a  preached  Gospel  and 
other  means  of  grace.  Every  Christian,  if  he  is 
what  he  ought  to  be,  has  influence,  which  may 
be  turned  to  good.  It  matters  not  what  his  cir- 
cumstances are,  if  he  be  honest,  upright,  benev- 
olent, liberal  and  courteous,  he  can  not  fail  to 
have  influence,  and  decided  influence.     This  he 


EFFORTS  TO  CONVERT  SINNERS.  87 

should  exert  for  the  benefit  of  the  souls  of  his 
neighbors,  and  the  prosperity  of  Zion.  "No 
man  liveth  to  himself.'^  The  Christian  has 
higher  interests  than  those  of  time.  Nay,  he  is 
placed  in  the  Church,  not  only  that  his  own  soul 
may  be  saved,  but  that  he  may  serve  his  gener- 
ation in  building  up  the  Eedeemer^s  kingdom. 
The  heart  that  is  duly  affected  with  Christ's 
salvation,  will  burn  with  desire  to  bring  others 
to  enjoy  it.  Thus  it  was  with  Andrew  and 
Philip,  and  the  woman  of  Samaria — John  i,  40— 
46,  and  John  iv,  28,  29,  39  and  40— and  their 
success  encourages  exertion.  Christians  should 
never  forget  that  they  are  "  the  light  of  the 
world,''  and  "  the  salt  of  the  earth."  They  should 
feel  their  obligation  to  show,  by  word  and  deed, 
to  their  friends,  what  great  things  the  Lord  hath 
done  for  them.  Their  looks,  their  speech,  their 
conduct,  should  be  such  as  to  say,  to  their  neigh- 
bors, "  We  are  journeying  to  the  place  of  which 
the  Lord  hath  said,  I  will  give  it  you ;  come  thou 
with  us  and  we  will  do  thee  good;  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  good  concerning  Israel."  They  should 
walk  in  wisdom  toward  them  that  are  without, 


88  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

endeavoring  to  win  them  to  Christ ;  striving  to 
this  end,  to  bring  them  to  the  house  of  God,  to 
attend  the  prajer-meeting,  to  read  the  Bible,  to 
sanctify  the  Sabbath,  to  read  useful  works,  to 
send  their  children  to  the  Sabbath  school  and 
Bible-class,  to  take  religious  periodicals,  and  to 
cultivate  an  acquaintance  with  the  movements 
of  the  Church.  If  the  labors  of  a  Christian 
should  result  in  the  conversion  of  but  one  indi- 
vidual ;  yet,  what  an  achievement !  "  Brethren, 
if  any  of  you  do  err  from  the  truth,  and  one  con- 
vert him ;  let  him  know  that  he  who  converteth 
a  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way,  shall  save  a 
soul  from  death,  and  shall  hide  a  multitude  of 
sins." 

Fifth.  The  prosperity  of  the  Christian  com- 
monwealth is  particularly  promoted  by  properly 
training  its  children.  The  hope  of  every  com- 
munity is  its  youth.  If  they  are  not  trained, 
the  community  can  not  prosper,  nor  endure.  It 
would  be  a  wretched  policy  for  any  common- 
wealth, to  leave  its  children  to  grow  up  a  race 
of  outlaws,  and  depend  for  its  future  support  and 
administration  on  foreigners.     God  says  to  the 


RELIGIOUS  TRAINING   OF  CHILDREN.  89 

Church,  ^'  Instead  of  thy  fathers  shall  be  thy 
children,  whom  thou  mayest  make  princes  in  all 
the  earth ;"  and  he  commands  the  heads  of  fam- 
ilies to  bring  up  their  children  in  his  nurture  and 
admonition.  They  should  be  trained  not  only 
in  religious,  but,  as  far  as  circumstances  will 
permit,  in  all  useful  knowledge.  This  will  give 
them  the  greater  influence.  The  children  of  the 
Church  should  be  fitted  by  education  to  occupy 
commanding  positions  in  society,  and  to  be  men 
of  controlling  influence  in  whatever  departments 
of  life  they  may  be  called  to  act. 

There  are  reasons  why  Christians,  instead  of 
neglecting,  should  be  specially  careful  in  the 
education  of  their  daughters.  Female  influence 
stands  in  special  connection  with  the  interests 
of  religion.  Who  knows  not  the  power  of  a 
mother's  influence,  or  a  sister's,  or  even  that 
of  a  female  friend?  and  were  that  influence 
directed,  in  all  cases,  by  intelligence  and  piety, 
how  powerfully  would  it  tell  on  the  formation 
of  character,  to  virtue  and  religion  ?  The  Bible 
regards  woman  as  the  corner-stone  of  the  social 
fabric,   and    directs  that    this  corner-stone   be 


90  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

polished :  "  Our  daughters,  like  unto  corner- 
stones, polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace." 

God  recognizes  the  children  of  Christians  as 
members  of  the  Church  along  with  their  parents, 
and  has  given  many  precious  promises  of  suc- 
cess to  attend  the  efforts  which  parents  should 
use  to  train  them  up  for  piety  and  usefulness. 
And  to  whose  salvation  should  Christians  he  so 
tenderly  devoted,  as  to  that  of  their  children  ? 
The  professing  Christian  who  neglects  the  edu- 
cation, and  especially  the  religious  education  of 
his  children,  is  an  unnatural  parent,  and  a  dis- 
loyal citizen  in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel. 

Sixth.  Christian  professors  should  expend  lib- 
erally of  their  worldly  substance  for  the  enlarge- 
ment and  prosperity  of  the  Church.  Not  that 
she  may  shine  in  the  splendor  and  decorations 
of  worldly  wealth  ;  but  that  her  pure  and  holy 
principles — her  truth  and  her  righteousness — 
may  be  universally  extended.  Too  much  of  the 
Christian  benevolence  of  the  day  is  the  contribu- 
tion of  "  the  pride  of  life,"  and  therefore  misap- 
plied. If  the  superfluity  of  what  is  given  for 
building  and  decorating  splendid  churches,  was 


LIBERALITY  IN  THE   USE  OF  MONEY.         91 

devoted  to  the  education  of  youth — to  bringing 
forward  and  supporting  missionaries,  and  to  the 
circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  immensely 
more  would  he  done  for  the  prosperity  of  Zion. 

It  becomes  the  professing  Christian  to  set 
Jerusalem  above  his  chief  joy — to  seek  her  good 
always,  and  to  devise  liberal  things  in  her  be- 
half. He  should  consider  the  promise  of  God 
in  her  favor,  strive  to  have  his  heart  affected 
with  her  wants,  and  ponder  seriously  and  earn- 
estly how  he  can  most  promote  her  interests. 
He  should  consider,  that,  with  respect  to  what 
he  calls  his  property,  he  is  only  a  steward  of 
God,  bound  to  make  that  use  of  what  he  is  in- 
trusted with,  which  will  do  the  most  good ;  and 
that  this  is  not  done  by  expending  it,  or  the 
greater  part  of  it,  on  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the 
lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,  or  hoarding 
it  up  as  an  unsanctified  legacy  for  posterity. 
Better  dedicate,  with  liberal  and  cheerful  heart, 
the  first-fruits  to  God,  and  then  the  residue  will 
descend  to  posterity  with  God^s  blessing. 

If  the  Christian  believes  what  he  professes, 
that  the   kingdom   of  God   is  supreme  in  its 


92  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

importance,  then  will  he  seek  first  that  king- 
dom and  its  righteousness,  and  trust  God  for 
a  competent  portion  of  the  good  things  of  this 
life.  God  will  never  forsake  the  righteous,  nor 
suffer  his  seed  to  beg  their  bread.  God  loves  a 
cheerful  giver,  and  will  show  his  love  by  his 
providential  care:  "A  good  man  showeth  favor 
and  lendeth.  Surely  he  shall  not  be  moved 
forever:  the  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting 
remembrance."  "  Honor  the  Lord  with  thy 
substance,  and  with  the  first-fruits  of  all  thine 
increase ;  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with 
plenty,  and  thy  presses  shall  burst  forth  with 
new  wine.''  And  what  is  more,  "thy  soul  shall 
be  made  fat;''  —  "the  Lord  shall  bless  thee 
out  of  Zion,  and  thou  shalt  see  the  good  of 
Jerusalem  all  the  days  of  thy  life." 

Finally ;  it  is  the  duty  of  every  member  of 
the  Church  to  pray  for  its  enlargement,  holi- 
ness, peace,  and  prosperity.  Zion's  King  has 
decreed,  that  his  subjects  shall  pray  for  the 
welfare  of  his  kingdom ;  and  he  has  promised 
to  hear  their  prayers.  "  Prayer  shall  be  made 
for  Him  continually."     "  Pray  for  the  peace  of 


PRAYER  FOR  ZION'S  PROSPERITY.  93 

Jerusalem."  With  hearts  devoted  to  his  glory, 
and  filled  with  sweet  meditation  on  his  promises 
in  behalf  of  his  Church,  and  encouraged  by 
the  signs  of  the  times,  they  should  pray,  with 
unceasing  importunity,  Thy  kingdom  come. 
This,  which  is  the  duty  of  all  Zion^s  citizens,  is 
particularly  the  duty  of  her  public  officers ;  *'  I 
have  set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem, 
which  shall  never  hold  their  peace,  day  nor 
night.  Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord, 
keep  not  silence ;  and  give  him  no  rest,  till  he 
establish,  and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise 
in  the  earth."  But  while  it  is  their  duty 
specially,  yet  it  is  an  important  duty  of  every 
member  of  the  Church,  and  one  upon  the  due 
performance  of  which,  very  much  depends  the 
prosperity  of  the  Church.  How  earnestly,  ac- 
cordingly, does  the  Apostle,  in  almost  all  his 
epistles,  entreat  the  prayers  of  his  Christian 
brethren.  "  Brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  the 
word  of  the  Lord  may  have  free  course,  and  be 
glorified ;  withal  praying  for  us,  that  God 
would  open  unto  us  a  door  of  utterance,  to 
speak  the  mystery  of  Christ;  that  I  may  make 


94  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

it  manifest,  as  I  ought  to  speak."  A  praying 
people  will  make  a  preaching  minister;  and 
where  the  members  of  the  Church  are  prayer- 
less,  Zion  cannot  be  expected  to  prosper. 

Then,  dear  friend,  let  your  resolution,  and 
may  that  of  every  member  of  the  Church,  be : 
"  For  Zion's  sake  I  will  not  hold  my  peace,  and 
for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not  rest,  until  the 
righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  brightness, 
and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that  burn- 

eth." 

Yours, 


LETTER   VIII. 


THE  NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 
My  Deab  Friend:  — 

Having  taken  a  view  of  the  nature  and  duties, 
permit  me  now  to  call  your  attention  to  the 
NECESSITY  of  the  Christian  Profession. 

In  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  according 
to  Luke,  we  have  the  following  narrative,  which 
was  deemed  to  he  of  sufficient  importance  to  he 
recorded  hy  two  other  evangelists :  —  "  And  a 
woman  having  an  issue  of  hlood  twelve  years, 
which  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians, 
neither  could  he  healed  of  any,  came  hehind 
him,  and  touched  the  horder  of  his  garment, 
and  immediately  her  issue  of  hlood  stanched. 
And  Jesus  said,  Who  touched  me  ?     When  all 


96  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

denied,  Peter  and  they  that  were  with  him  said, 
Master,  the  multitude  throng  thee  and  press 
thee ;  and  sayest  thou,  Who  touched  me  ?  And 
Jesus  said,  somebody  hath  touched  me;  for  I 
perceive  that  virtue  is  gone  out  of  me.  And 
when  the  woman  saw  that  she  was  not  hid,  she 
came  trembling,  and  falling  down  before  him, 
she  declared  unto  him,  before  all  the  people,  for 
what  cause  she  had  touched  him,  and  how  she 
was  healed  immediately.  And  he  said  unto 
her.  Daughter,  be  of  good  comfort;  thy  faith 
had  made  thee  whole ;  go  in  peace." 

What  treatment  was  this  for  the  tender  and 
compassionate  Jesus,  who  always  sympathized 
with  the  afflicted,  and  was  a  model  of  delicacy 
—  the  last  who  would  needlessly  wound  the 
sensibilities  of  any  human  being ;  —  what  treat- 
ment was  this  for  him  toward  a  poor  and 
afflicted  woman !  Yes,  it  was  a  woman  —  a 
delicate  female  —  and  one  that  was  afflicted, 
and  had  been  so  for  a  long  time :  a  modest  and 
retiring  female,  instinctively  shrinking  from 
observation,  and  one  whose  disease  was  such  as 
female  delicacy  would  induce  her  to  conceal! 


ITS  NECESSITY  —  AN  INCIDENT.  07 

Her  faith  was  strong :  she  believed,  that  if  she 
could  hut  touch  the  hem  of  his  garment,  she 
would   he   whole ;  and,  under   this  jiersuasion, 
she,  unnoticed  by  the  crowd,  stole  up  among 
them  as  they  thronged  and  pressed  him,  and 
touched  —  in    faith    and   love    touched  —  her 
Saviour^s  garment,  and  was  cured.     The  omni- 
scient eye   of  Jesus  saw  her  —  saw  what  had 
passed  in  her  mind,  what  she  had  done,  and  the 
benefit  she  had  received.     He  knew  her  afl^ic- 
tion,    her    modesty,    her    timidity,    and    back- 
wardness, and  particularly  her  delicacy  on  the 
subject  of  her  disorder   and  cure.     Surely  he 
will  spare  the  feelings  of  this  shrinking  one, 
and  let  her  bear  away  the  happy  cure  unob- 
served.    The  bruised  reed  he  will  not  break, 
and  the  smoking  flax  he  will  not  quench ;  and 
certainly  he  will  not  wound  the  sensibilities  of 
amiable  modesty  ! — No  !     He  sternly  demands 
that  she  make  her  appearance,  and  confess  pub- 
licly  the  whole  affair;  and   so   sternly  did  he 
insist  on  this  demand,  that  she,  feeling  that  she 
was  under  his  penetrating  and  all-seeing  eye, 
came  trembling,  and,  falling*  down  before  him, 
8  "^ 


98  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

declared  unto  him,  before  all  the  people,  for 
what  cause  slie  had  touched  him,  and  how  she 
was  healed  immediately. 

Now,  why  was  the  Saviour  so  stern  and 
unyielding?  It  certainly  was  not  to  display 
his  miraculous  power;  for  how  often  did  he 
command  those  who  were  healed  by  him  to  tell 
no  man  ?  No !  He  would  teach  us  the  neces- 
sity of  an  open,  public  profession  of  religion : — ' 
that  no  one  should  derive  saving  virtue  from 
him,  and  pass  along  unknown,  undistinguished, 
in  this  world's  crowd ;  but  that  every  such  one 
should  come  forward,  in  the  face  of  all  difficul- 
ties and  all  discouragements,  and  in  despite  of 
all  delicacy  and  all  reluctance,  and  confess 
publicly,  before  the  world,  for  what  purpose  he 
had  applied  to  the  Saviour,  and  how  imme- 
diately he  was  made  whole.  And  the  record  of 
this  transaction  is  given,  to  teach  us  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  sternly  demands  this,  and 
will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less. 

And  this  is  a  prominent  idea  throughout  the 
New  Testament.  "  If  thou  shalt  confess  with 
thv  mouth  the  Lord  Jorus.  and  shalt  believe  in 


ITS  NECESSITY  —  DIRECT  PROOF  9^ 

tlij  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead,  thou  shalt  he  saved :  Por  with  the  heart 
man  helieveth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the 
month  confession  is  made  unto  salvation.'' 
"  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  he  ashamed  qf 
me  and  of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and 
sinful  generation ;  of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of 
man  he  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory 
of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels."  "  Who- 
soever shall  confess  me  hefore  men,  him  will  I 
confess  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven: 
Whosoever  shall  deny  me  hefore  men,  him  will 
I  also  deny  hefore  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  Nothing  can  he  plainer  than  these 
declarations.  In  order  to  he  saved,  you  must 
confess  the  Lord  Jesus  with  your  mouth,  as  well 
as  believe  on  him  with  your  heart.  If  it  is  a 
law  of  his  kingdom  that  with  the  heart  man 
helieveth  unto  righteousness,  it  is  equally  a  law 
of  his  kingdom  that  with  the  mouth  confession 
is  made  unto  salvation.  If  you  are  ashamed  of 
him,  he  will  be  ashamed  of  you.  If  you  con- 
fess him,  he  will  confess  you;  and  if  you  do  not 
confess   him,    he  will    not    confess   vou.     Your 


100  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

salvation  is  just  as  truly  suspended  on  your 
confessing  him,  as  it  is  on  your  believing  in 
him.  You  might  as  well  deny  the  necessity  of 
faith,  as  deny  the  necessity  of  confessing  him. 
You  might  as  well  flatter  yourself  with  the 
hope  of  safety  in  refusing  to  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  cherish  the  hope  of 
safety  in  refusing  to  confess  him.  The  refusal, 
in  either  case,  is  perdition ;  —  it  is  to  make 
yourself  sure  of  being  disowned  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  that  awful  day  when  he  shall  sit 
as  Judge  of  the  world. 

Set  it  down  then,  my  Friend,  as  a  funda- 
mental truth,  that,  by  the  law  of  Christ,  a 
profession  of  faith  is  as  truly  necessary  to 
salvation,  as  is  faith  itself.  As  this  is  a  truth, 
which,  though  so  plainly  taught,  man}^  who 
claim  to  be  friends  and  respecters  of  religion  do 
not  believe  —  at  least,  do  not  realize  —  I  will 
endeavor  to  illustrate  and  enforce  it  by  several 
considerations. 

However,  before  doing  this,  there  are  two 
things  which  I  vvill  promise,  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  mistake,  and  also  in  order  to  remove 


MISTAKES    TO    BE  AVOIDED.  101 

a  confusion  of  ideas  which  paralyzes  the  force 
of  the  above  truth  in  a  great  many  minds. 

And,  first : — I  do  not  say  that  it  is  absolutely 
impossible  for  a  man  to  be  saved  without  a 
profession  of  religion.  An  infant,  an  idiot,  may 
be  saved  without  faith.  In  such  cases,  faith  is 
impracticable.  And  so  there  may  be  cases  in 
which,  though  a  man  is  etfectually  called,  and 
believes,  and  repents,  yet  a  profession  of  religion 
is  impracticable.  He  may  be  arrested  by  death 
before  he  have  the  opportunity;  he  may  be  con- 
verted in  a  place  where  there  is  no  Church,  and  it 
may  be  out  of  his  power  to  place  himself  where 
the  Church  of  God  is;  he  may  have  conscien- 
tious difficulties,  deterring  him  by  a  sense  of 
unworthiness,  wliich  possibly  may  not  be  re- 
moved till  he  be  called  to  the  other  world. 
In  such  cases,  however,  it  is  implied  that  the 
man  has  the  will  and  desire  to  profess  Christ, 
and  is  earnest  in  the  use  of  means  to  remove 
his  difficulties,  and  that  the  unperformed  duty " 
of  confessing  Christ,  instead  of  being  a  matter 
of  indifference,  or  a  tiling  about  which  he 
makes  himself  easv,  or  in   which    he    excuses 


102  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

himself,  is  a  habitual  concern  and  burden  upon 
his  soul. 

Second : — Not  all  professors  of  religion  shall 
be  saved.  No!  there  are  hypocrites  and  self- 
deceivers  in  the  Church.  The  profession  of 
which  I  treat,  is  the  result  of  faith  in  the  heart ; 
and,  consequently,  sustained  by  the  perform- 
ance of  the  duties  of  the  Christian  profession. 
The  profession,  the  necessity  of  which  is  here 
urged,  is  not  merely  the  joining  of  the  Church 
and  receiving  the  sacraments,  though  these  are 
prominent  duties  in  it ;  but,  in  addition,  it  is  a 
walking  worthy  of  such  a  standing  and  of  such 
privileges.  It  is  possible  for  a  man  to  confess 
Christ  in  words,  by  avowing  a  certain  creed, 
joining  a  religious  society,  and  receiving  the 
sacraments,  and  yet  deny  him  by  a  graceless 
life  ;  —  to  have  the  form  of  godliness,  and  yet 
deny  the  power  thereof.  "The  kingdom  of  God 
is  not  in  word,  but  in  power."  While,  there- 
fore, the  non-professor  is  arraigned  on  the  fact 
that  he  does  not  confess  the  Lord  Jesus ;  the 
hypocritical  or  false  professor  is  arraigned  on 
the  fact  of  his  false  profession — on  the  fact,  that 


ITS   NECESSITY.  103 

tHougli  he  professes  Christ,  he  believes  not  with 
his  heart,  and  is  a  stranger  to  the  power  of  the 
Christian  life.  And,  my  Friend,  I  call  on  you, 
by  the  necessity  of  such,  and  only  such,  a  pro- 
fession as  flows  from  faith  in  the  heart,  and  is 
sustained  by  a  corresponding  life,  to  confess 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  and,  if  you  do  confess  him, 
then  to  search  your  heart,  and  see  on  what 
principles  and  from  what  motives  you  do  so,  and 
to  try  your  life,  and  see  whether  indeed  Christ 
is  living  in  you. 

Now,  it  must  be  plain,  that  the  fact  that  a 
man  may  be  saved  without  a  profession  of 
religion,  where  such  profession  is  impracticable, 
does  not  in  the  least  affect  the  question  of  the 
necessity  of  such  profession  where  it  is  practi- 
cable. And  it  is  equally  plain,  that  the  worth- 
lessness  of  a  false  profession  does  not  in  the 
least  diminish  the  importance,  nor  impair  the 
value  and  saving  utility  of  a  genuine  pro- 
fession. And  men  allow  their  judgments  to 
become  sophisticated,  when  they  suffer  either  of 
these  considerations    to  weaken   their  sense  of 


104  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

the  necessity  and  importance  of  the  Christian 
profession. 

With  these  explanations,  I  will  now  turn 
your  attention  to  some  considerations,  serving 
to  illustrate  and  enforce  the  importance  and 
necessity  of  this  profession. 

1.  The  first  consideration  which  I  shall  offer, 
is  derived  from  the  necessity  of  universal 
OBEDIENCE  TO  THE  Saviour.  "  Whosoever  shall 
keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point, 
is  guilty  of  all."  The  Avhole  authority  of  God 
is  vested  in  every  precept  of  his  law.  Precisely 
the  same  obligations  which  render  the  whole 
law  binding,  renders  every  part  of  it  binding. 
Every  precept  is  supported  by  all,  and  by  pre- 
cisely the  same  sanctions,  which  support  the 
whole  la•^v.  Hence,  the  same  principle  which 
will  lead  us  to  delight  in  the  law  of  God,  as 
such,  will  lead  us  to  delight  in  every  precept  of 
that  law.  That  one  fear  of  God,  and'that  one 
love  of  God,  and  that  one  trust  in  God,  which 
will  cause  us  to  respect,  love,  and  keep  his  law, 
will  cause  us  to  respect,  love,  and  keep  every 


NECESSITY  OF  UNIVERSAL  OBEDIENCE.       105 

known  precept  of  it.  Consequently,  the  allowed 
and  continued  violation  of  any  known  precept 
shows  that  such  violator  is  destitute  of  that  fear, 
love,  and  trust,  which  are  the  principles  of  all 

and   of  any  true  and  acceptable   obedience 

that  his  conscience  is  not  under  the  dominion 
of  God's  authority,  nor  his  heart  under  the 
dominion  of  his  love  — that  so  far  as  these 
principles  are  concerned,  he  is  a  transgressor  of 
the  whole  law,  and  is  so  regarded  by  Him  who 
looketh  on  the  heart,  and  will  judge  the  secrets 
of  men  —  and  that  he  is  kept  back  from  the 
formal  violation  of  every  particular  precept,  by 
something  else  than  religious  principle.  There 
is  in  him  a  lack,  which  is  not  the  believer's 
lack  —  God  sees  in  him  a  spot  which  is  not  the 
spot  of  his  children,  but  the  utter  defection  of  a 
revolted  heart.  He  may  be  very  moral,  digni- 
fied, and  amiable — he  may  be  a  decent  observer 
of  many  things  —  he  may,  to  human  observa- 
tion, keep  the  whole  law,  except  in  this  one 
point ;  but,  allowing  himself  in  the  violation  of 
this,  God  marks  him  as  a  rebel  and  an  enemy. 

And  if  he  live  and  die  in  the  allowed  commission 

9 


l06  THE    CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

of  this  one  sin,  or  the  alloAved  neglect  of  this 
one  duty,  he  will  live,  and  die,  and  enter  eter- 
nity, with  the  wrath  of  G-od  ahiding  on  him. 
"If  I  regard  sin  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not 
hear  me.'' 

Now  it  does  not  admit  of  a  question  whether 
it  is  a  Divine  command  or  not,  to  confess  Christ 
before  men.  The  passages  already  quoted  are 
decisive  proof.  "  Whosoever  shall  confess  me 
before  men,  him  will  I  confess  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  Whosoever  shall  deny  me 
before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  How  plain  the 
duty !  What  a  promise  awaits  obedience !  what 
a  penalty  disobedience  I  How  important  the 
precept  which  is  sustained  by  such  sanctions ! 
The  Saviour  recognizes  no  neutral  ground — no 
place  of  standing  between  confessing  him  and 
denying  him.  All  who  confess  him  not,  are 
held  as  denying  him:  "He  that  is  not  for 
me,  is  against  me  ;  and  he  that  gathereth  not 
with  me,  scattereth  abroad."  "  Them  that 
honor  me,  I  will  honor ;  and  they  who  despise 
me,  shall  be  lightly  esteemed."     There  is  no 


THIS    DO    IN    REMEMBRANCE    OF    ME.  107 

middle  ground  between  honoring  Christ  and 
despising  him.  He  who  does  not  honor  him 
by  implicit  obedience  to  his  every  command, 
despises  him.  He  will  accept  no  other  con- 
fession of  him  than  that  which  owns  him  to  be 
"  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father ;''  and, 
as  Lord  and  Lawgiver,  submits  to  him  in  all  his 
commands. 

One  of  these  commands  is,  in  reference  to  eat- 
in  o-  and  drinkino;  at  his  table :  "  This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me.^^  As  Lord,  he,  in  this  insti- 
tution, prescribes  the  way  in  which  we  shall  con- 
fess him,  and  it  is  a  casting  off  of  his  authority 
to  rely  on  any  other  way  of  confessing  him  as 
sufficient,  while  this  is  neglected.  But  this  is 
done  by  all  those,  who  profess  to  be  friends  of 
the  Eedeemer,  or  wish  to  be  considered  such, 
and  yet  obey  not  the  command — "  This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me.'^  And  then  the  very  nature 
and  circumstances  of  this  command  are  such  as 
to  fix  on  disobedience  to  it  the  brand  of  a  pecu- 
liar insensibility.  There,  is  our  Lord  and  Sov- 
ereign, in  the  character  of  our  dying  Saviour. 
As  the  hour  of  agony  draws  nigh,  he  thinks  of 


108  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

our  frailty  and  temptations,  and  provides  for  our 
stability.  He  appoints  a  memorial  of  himself. 
See  tliem  !  They  are  the  emblems  of  his  broken 
body  and  shed  blood — his  body  broken  for  us, 
his  blood  shed  for  the  remission  of  our  sins  ! 
They  tell  of  his  sufferings  on  account  of  our 
sins,  and  for  the  salvation  of  our  immortal  souls ! 
They  recall  all  the  transactions  and  sufferings 
of  that  dark  and  dismal  night;  that  fearful 
tragedy  ;  "  that  hour  and  power  of  darkness'^ — 
the  anguish  of  Gethsemane ;  the  horrors  and 
oppression  of  the  high-priest's  palace  and  Pilate's 
judgment  hall ;  the  ignominy  and  agony  of  the 
cross !  They  place  the  Saviour  before  us  as  the 
point  of  convergency  for  all  the  malice  of  men, 
the  fury  of  hell,  and  the  wrath  of  Heaven — 
and  undergoing  all  for  our  salvation  !  As  they 
tell  us  of  his  sufferings,  they  also  tell  us  of  his 
love,  his  grace,  his  benefits.  And  now  from  the 
throne  of  his  glory,  he  points  to  them,  and 
through  them  to  his  suffering,  bleeding,  body, 
and  his  deathless  love,  and  all  his  matchless 
claims  on  our  affectionate  remembrance  and  obe- 
dience, and  says,   ''  This  do  in  remembrance  of 


THE  NON-PROFESSOR  DISOBEDIENT.         109 

me  !"  How  insensible  the  heart,  that  refuses  to 
obey  !  My  friend,  can  you  name  the  command, 
disobedience  to  which  can  give  more  decided 
proof  of  insensibility  to  a  Saviour's  claims  ? 

As  Lord,  Christ  Jesus  commands  us  to  take 
.his  yoke  upon  us — that  is,  to  put  ourselves  in 
the  place,  and  maintain  the  character  of  his  sub- 
jects, and,  as  such,  to  conform  to  the  government 
and  laws  of  his  kingdom.  Now  the  man  who 
does  not  confess  Christ,  just  refuses  to  do  this. 
Here  is  a  command,  which  he  refuses  to  obey. 
He  may  do  many  things  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
requires,  but  this  he  does  not  do.  He  does  not 
enroll  himself  as  a  subject  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
He  refuses  those  seals,  which  the  Saviour  has 
appointed  to  put  a  visible  difference  between  his 
subjects  and  the  people  of  the  world.  He  there- 
fore can  not  be  considered  a  subject  bearing  the 
Eedeemer's  yoke,  any  more  than  that  man  can 
be  recognized  as  a  citizen,  who  refuses  the  oath 
of  allegiance.  There  is,  then,  a  plain  point  here 
in  the  law,  in  which  he  offends,  and  though  he 
keep  the  whole  law  beside,  yet  by  offending  in 
this  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all.     By  the  position 


V 


no  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

which  he  takes  at  this  point,  he  proves  himself 
a  rebel  to  Zion's  King. 

I  refer  not  to  the  man,  who  is  really  deterred 
by  conscientious  difficulties,  and  who  is  dili- 
gently, with  real  concern,  seeking  to  have  his 
way  clear ;  but  to  the  man,  who,  knowing  the 
Divine  law  in  the  matter,  refuses  to  swear  fealty 
to  Zion's  King,  and  endeavors  to  make  himself 
easy  in  the  refusal,  or  thinks  lightly  of  his  obli- 
gations to  wear  the  Saviour's  yoke.  This  man, 
I  say,  is,  in  principle,  a  transgressor  of  the  whole 
law.  He  is  not  under  the  dominion  of  the 
Saviour's  authority  and  love.  He  carries  with 
him  the  heart  of  a  rebel,  and  is  striving  to  make 
his  conscience  easy  in  the  indulgence  of  a  prin- 
ciple which  will,  if  not  repented  of,  lead  him 
down  to  hell. 

He  may  say  in  his  heart,  as  is  often  said 
openly,  "I  can  be  as  good  a  Christian  out  of  the 
Church,  as  I  can  in  it ;"  but  this  is  just  saying, 
"  There  is  one  thing  in  which  I  may  trample  the 
authority  of  God  under  foot ;  one  command,  in 
regard  to  which  I  may  carry  about  in  me  the 
heart  of  a  rebel.     I  can  be  the  friend  of  God, 


REBELLION    AGAINST   ZION's   KING.  Ill 

and  yet  disobey  his  Son ;  I  can  be  tbe  friend  of 
Christ,  and  yet  discard  his  yoke/^  And  what  is 
this  but  to  proclaim  independence  of  the  Bible, 
and  of  its  great  Author  ?  What,  but  downright 
infidelity  I  "I  will  obey  God  when  I  please  and 
as  far  as  I  please,  and  no  further !"  That  is, 
*'  I  stand  perfectly  independent  of  revelation.  I 
will  do  what  it  enjoins  so  far  as  I  see  proper ; 
for  I  believe  that  a  man  may  be  just  as  good  a 
man  pursuing  this  course,  as  if  he  yielded  a 
most  scrupulous  and  exact  obedience  to  all  its 
injunctions.''     Could  infidelity  ask  more? 

The  whole  New  Testament  proceeds  on  the 
principle,  that  a  saving  faith  in  Christ  is  insep- 
arable from  a  spirit  of  implicit  obedience  to  the 
Saviour.  Hence  the  language  of  the  great  com- 
mission: "He  that  belie veth  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved;"  in  which  it  is  implied,  that 
every  true  believer  will  obey  the  Saviour  in  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  ;  which  is  the  first  formal 
act  of  the  Christian  profession,  with  a  man 
called  out  of  the  world.  The  same  principle 
which  leads  a  man  to  obey  the  command  to  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus,  will  lead  him  to  obey 


112  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

that  other  command,  to  be  baptized  in  his  name ; 
and  a  refusal  to  obey  the  latter,  is  to  be  regarded 
as  proof  of  disobedience  to  the  former.  Whence 
it  follows,  that  every  neglecter  of  baptism,  or  of 
that  profession  which  it  seals,  is  to  be  regarded 
as  an  unbeliever,  and  as  yet  in  his  sins. 

Hence,  too,  the  language  of  the  Apostle  Peter, 
to  the  convicted  multitudes,  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost :  "  Eepent,  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of 
you,  for  the  remission  of  sins."  That  repent- 
ance only,  which  would  prove  its  genuineness  by 
obedience  to  the  King  and  Head  of  the  Church 
by  receiving  his  appointed  seal  of  discipleship, 
would  secure  the  remission  of  sins.  The  faith 
that  lays  hold  of  pardon  through  the  Eedeem- 
er's  blood,  will  lay  hold  of  the  seal  of  that  par- 
don: "They  that  gladly  received  the  word, 
were  baptized."  It  is  on  the  same  principle 
that  the  Apostle  says,  in  the  words  quoted  near 
the  beginning  of  this  Letter :  *•  With  the  heart 
man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the 
mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation."  The 
heart  that  believes  will  prompt  the  mouth  to 
confess ;  and  therefore  no  man  who  refuses  this 


DISOBEDIENCE   EVIDENCE   OP   UNBELIEF.     113 

confession  can  be  regarded  as  an  heir  of  salva- 
tion. The  Christian  profession  follows  a  justify- 
ing faith  as  inseparably  and  as  infallibly  as 
action  follows  life.  ^ 

In  my  next  I  shall  call  your  attention  to  some 
additional  considerations  on  this  vital  question. 

Yours, 


LET TEE  IX 


THE  IMPORTANCE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

[  Continued.  ] 

My  Deak  Friend: — 

In  tlie  close  of  my  last,  I  promised  you  some 
additional  considerations  on  the  importance  and 
necessity  of  the  Christian  Profession.  My  first 
argument — the  only  one  presented — was  derived 
from  the  necessity  of  universal  obedience.  No 
man  can  disobey  Christ  in  this  matter,  without 
standing  convicted  as  a  rebel  against  Jehovah 
and  his  Christ.  This  consideration  might  be 
deemed  sufficient  of  itself,  for  you  know  who  has 
said,  "  As  for  these  mine  enemies,  who  would 
not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  them 


SALVATION   IS   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD.    115 

hither  and  slay  them  before  me.'^  But  it  may 
be  profitable  to  view  the  subject  in  some  other 
of  its  aspects.     And, 

II.  A  second  consideration,  which  I  would 
urge,  is,  that  it  is  only  in  maintmning  this  pro- 
fession that  we  are  authorized  to  expect  the  Saviour^ s 
blessing  on  the  means  of  grace.  The  means  of 
grace  are  institutions  belonging  to  his  kingdom. 
He  has  given  them  to  his  Church,  and  they  be- 
long nowhere  else,  and  it  is  only  as  they  are  in 
connection  with  his  Church,  that  we  have  any 
warrant  to  expect  his  blessing  in  them.  "  For 
the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion ;  he  hath  desired  it 
for  his  habitation.  This  is  my  rest  forever ;  here 
will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it.  I  will 
abundantly  bless  her  provision ;  I  will  satisfy 
her  poor  with  bread.  I  will  also  clothe  her 
priests  with  salvation,  and  her  saints  shall  shout 
aloud  for  joy." 

The  Church  is  a  society,  or  body  corporate, 
which  Christ  has  organized  in  this  world.  Of 
it  he  is  the  head.  To  it,  and  for  its  welfare  and 
prosperity,  he  has  given  his  word,  ministry,  and 
ordinances.     He  dwells  in  it  by  his  Spirit ;  and 


116  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

through  his  word,  ministry,  and  ordinances,  im- 
parts to  it,  and  to  its  members,  his  blessing. 
With  his  gracious  presence  accompanying  the 
institutions  he  has  given  it,  it  gathers  members 
from  the  world,  and  they  become  partakers  of 
this  blessing  by  becoming  members  of  the  body. 
It  is  sinners  of  the  world  that  are  converted 
through  the  instrumentality  of  this  body  cor- 
porate, but  no  one  remaining  in  the  world  and 
refusing  to  join  the  body,  can  reasonably  expect 
to  participate  in  the  privileges  and  benefits 
peculiar  to  the  body.  It  is  just  as  it  is  in  all 
other  cases.  No  man  who  refuses  to  join  a  par- 
ticular society  or  body  corporate,  can  expect  to 
enjoy  the  peculiar  benefits  of  said  society  or 
body  corporate.  Those  who  remain  in  the  world 
are  never,  in  the  Scriptures,  in  any  instance, 
considered  as  saints,  or  as  members  of  the  body 
of  Christ.  The  Church  visible  is  ever  regarded 
as  embracing  the  Church  invisible,  and  in  no 
case  are  we  directed  to  find  the  latter  outside  of 
the  former. 

Mark  the  language  of  the  Apostle  on  this 
subject :    "  There  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit, 


SALVATION  IS  OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD.    117 

even  as  you  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  call- 
ing ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism  ;  one  G-od 
and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  you  all.     But  unto  every  one  of  us 
is  given  grace  according  to  the  measure  of  the 
gift  of  Christ.     And  he  gave  (that  is,  he  gave 
the  Church,  or  body)  some  apostles,  and  some 
prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pas- 
tors and  teachers  ;  for   the    perfecting  of   the 
saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edi- 
fying of  the  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all  come  in 
the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ; 
that  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed 
to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of 
doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men  and  cunning  craft- 
iness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but 
speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him 
in  all  things  which  is  the  Head,  even  Christ ; 
from  whom  the  whole  body,  fitly  joined  together 
and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint  suppli- 
eth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the 
measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the 


118  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

body  to  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love.'^ — Eph.  iv, 
1-16.  Again:  "  Wherefore  remember,  that  ye 
being  in  time  past  gentiles  in  the  flesh — that  at 
that  time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  strangers 
from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope, 
and  Avi'thout  God  in  the  world;  but  now  in  Christ 
Jesus,  ye,  who  sometimes  were  far  off,  are  made 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  Now,  therefore,  ye 
are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow- 
citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of 
God ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being 
the  chief  corner-stone ;  in  whom  all  the  building, 
fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  a  holy  tem- 
ple in  the  Lord ;  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded 
together,  for  a  habitation  of  God  through  the 
Spirit.^^ 

These  quotations  are  long,  but  they  should  be 
read  and  pondered  with  care. 

From  them  it  is.  manifest,  that  the  object  of 
Christ  in  organizing  a  visible  Church  on  earth, 
was  not  merely  to  make  converts,  but,  by  bring- 
ing these  converts  into  a  distinct  society,  sep- 


OUT   OF   THE   CHURCH   NO   SALVATION.      119 

arate  from  the  world,  to  train  tliem  up  and 
perfect  them  for  heaven.  Now  the  man  who  does 
not  become  a  member  of  the  Church  says,  so 
far  as  his  example  and  influence  can  go,  "A 
Church  shall  not  exist."  If  all  would  do  as  he 
does,  there  would  be  no  such  thing  as  a  Church. 
He  thereby  opposes  himself  to  the  constitution 
of  Christ,  and  would  annihilate  the  instrumen- 
tality which  he  has  appointed  for  the  conversion 
of  the  world.  But  he  does  more.  He  shuts 
himself  out  from  the  blessings  of  the  Saviour, 
reposited  in  that  society,  for  the  perfecting  of 
its  members  to  everlasting  life ;  and  he  has  not 
the  shadow  of  a  reason  to  hope,  that  he,  refusing 
to  join  the  body,  shall,  like  the  members  of  the 
body,  "  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect 
man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fullness  of  Christ."  Christ's  way,  and  the  only 
reasonable  way,  for  him  to  do  so,  is  to  become 
incorporated  in  the  body.  This  he  refuses,  and 
he  need  not  be  at  all  surprised,  if  he  should 
have  no  experience  of  the  life,  and  health,  and 
growth  appertaining  to  the  body.  It  were  absurd 


120  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

to  expect  it.  Let  no  one,  forsaking  the  way  of 
Christ's  appointment,  look  for  his  blessing  in 
the  way  of  his  own  perverse  choosing.  His 
promise  reaches  only  to  where  he  has  recorded 
his  name.  His  language  is,  "  In  all  places 
where  I  have  recorded  my  name,  there  will  I 
come  unto  thee  and  bless  thee."  It  is  only  in 
his  Church,  and  the  ordinances  which  he  has 
given  his  Church,  that  his  name  is  recorded ;  and 
there  alone,  may  his  presence  and  blessing  be 
expected.  It  is  the  very  object  of  the^e  or- 
dinances, and  especially  of  those  sacramental 
institutions,  by  which  Church-membership  is 
recognized  and  Christ  confessed,  to  promote  the 
spiritual  nourishment  of  believers  and  their 
growth  in  grace.  By  them  Christ  and  his  ben- 
efits are  represented,  signified,  and  sealed  to 
believers ;  and  the  man  who  refuses  them,  can 
not  expect  the  blessings  which  they  are  the  ap- 
pointed means  of  conveying. 

The  Church  is  the  commonwealth  of  God's 
chosen  people — his  kingdom,  his  house,  his  fam- 
ily. The  promise  is  only  to  the  citizens  of  this 
commonwealth,  the  subjects  of  this  kingdom,  the 


OUT   OF  THE   CHURTH   NO   SALVATION.      121 

members  of  this  family.  Every  society  is  exclu- 
sive in  its  nature — the  very  idea  of  a  society 
involves  the  idea  of  exclusion.  Those  not  mem- 
bers are  excluded  from  its  peculiar  privileges. 
Now  the  privileges  of  the  Church  are  not  merely 
external,  but  spiritual  and  saving.  Without  the 
latter,  there  would  be  no  significancy  in  the  for- 
mer. How  then  can  those  who  are  not  citizens 
in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  or  subjects  in 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  expect  the  spiritual, 
any  more  than  the  external,  privileges  of  that 
kingdom  or  commonwealth  ?  How  can  those  not 
members  in  the  household  of  faith,  expect  to 
share  in  the  blessings  of  the  family?  The  peace, 
and  the  government  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  is 
upon  the  kingdom  of  David — the  Church — to 
order  and  establish  IT.  It  is  nowhere  else.  It 
is  only  to  those  who  "  take  his  yoke  upon  them,'' 
that  he  promises  "  rest" — *'  rest  to  their  souls." 
It  is  only  those  who  had  confessed  Jesus  Christ 
before  men  and  become  members  of  the  Christ- 
ian Church,  that  the  Apostle  calls  *' no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with 

the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God." 
10 


122  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

And  who  beside  these  has  any  warrant  from 
the  Bible  to  expect  the  privileges  of  Zion's  com- 
monwealth and  God^s  family?  Does  any  one 
say,  all  believers  ?  But  where  do  we  find  the  Bible 
recognize  any  as  true  believers,  who  did  not 
become  Church-members?  To  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  apostolic  times,  implied 
connection  with  his  Church.  We  are  told,  that 
*'  the  Lord  added  to  the  Church  daily,  such  as 
should  be  saved.'^  The  plain  import  of  which  is, 
that  all  believers  joined  the  Church,  and  that 
out  of  the  Church  there  is  "  no  ordinary  possi- 
bility of  salvation'^  —  that,  inasmuch  as  the 
object  of  the  Church  is  to  carry  on  the  salvation 
of  all  converted  to  the  faith,  so  all  converts  must 
join  the  Church,  knowing  '^  that  salvation  is  of 
the  Church  of  God." 

Here  let  me  close  by  quoting  the  language  of 
the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith ;  it  expresses 
only  what  has  been  taught  on  this  subject,  in  all 
ages  with  one  consent :  "  The  visible  Church  con- 
sists of  all  those  throughout  the  world  that  pro- 
fess the  true  religion,  together  with  their  children, 
and  is  the  kins^dom  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 


OUT  OF   THE   CHURCH   NO   SALVATION.      123 

the  house  and  family  of  God,  out  of  which  there 
is  no  ordinary  possibility  of  salvation.  Unto 
this  catholic,  visible  Church,  Christ  hath  given 
the  ministry,  oracles  and  ordinances  of  God,  for 
the  gathering  and  perfecting  of  the  saints  in 
this  life,  to  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and  doth,  by 
his  own  presence  and  Spirit,  according  to  his 
promise,  make  them  eflPectual  thereunto. '^ 

Yours, 


LETTER    X. 


THE  NECESSITY  AND  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

[  Concluded.  ] 

My  Deak  Friend: — 

I  HAVE  been  urging  the  claims  of  the  Christ- 
ian profession  from  two  considerations,  either  of 
which  is  sufficient  to  settle  the  question  at  the  bar 
of  an  honest  and  enlightened  conscience :  1.  From 
the  necessity  of  universal  obedience.  2.  From  the 
fact,  that  out  of  the  Church  of  God  there  is  no 
ordinary  possibility  of  salvation.  But  there  are 
other  considerations  which  should  not  be  over- 
looked. They  add  force  to  those  already  ad- 
duced. 

III.  And  a  very  important  argument  in  favor 


DEMANDED   BY   OUR   SOCIAL   NATURES.      125 

of  the  necessity  and  importance  of  this  profession, 
may  be  derived  from  the  social  principles  of  our 
nature.   Man  is  by  nature  a  social  creature.    His 
faculties, his  feelings,  and  wants;  his  convenience 
and  comfort,  all  point  him  to  society,  and  render 
it  necessary  that  he  should  exist  in  the  social 
state.     But  he  must  of  necessity  partake,  in  no 
small  degree,  of  the  views,  feelings  and  char- 
acter of  that  society  to  which  he  belongs,  and  of 
those  persons  with  whom  he  is  habitually  asso- 
ciated.   They  likewise  lay  claims  upon  him,  and 
demand  of  him  a  homogeneity  of  views,  feelino's, 
and  character ;  and  if  he  comply  not  with  these 
demands  he  loses  caste.    Hence  it  is  plain,  that 
it  must  be  a  most  difficult  matter,  if  not  utterly 
impossible,   for  a  man,   remaining  out  of  the 
Church,  to  maintain  the  duties  and  character, 
the  views  and  feelings,  of  a  Christian.     If  actu- 
ated by  these  views  and  feelings,  the  social  prin- 
ciples of  his  nature  will  prompt  him  to  join  the 
Church.    He  will  naturally  seek  to  be  associated, 
in  all  the  confidence  of  brotherhood,  with  those 
of  kindred  sentiment  and  feeling.     Here,  un- 
questionably, he  will    find    it    more    easy  and 


j^l26  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

pleasant  to  perform  the  duties,  and  lead  the  life 
of  a  Christian.  While  he  does  not  profess  Christ 
the  world  claims  him,  and  expects  him  to  con- 
form to  its  usages,  pursuits,  and  pleasures.  His 
intercourse  is  of  necessity  most  with  the  men  of 
the  world.  He  must  make  them  his  familiars 
and  confidants.  If  he  do  not,  they  will  take  a 
liberty  with  him,  which  they  dare  not  take  with 
a  professor  of  religion.  They  will  make  him 
the  butt  of  their  raillery.  They  will  tease  him 
to  join  in  their  sports  and  pleasures.  They  will 
ply  all  their  temptations  and  all  their  seductive 
arts.  They  w^ill  consult  his  taste,  and  leave  no 
stone  unturned  to  make  him  like  themselves. 
The  circle  in  which  he  moves  may  be  above  the 
gaming-table,  and  the  grog-shop,  but  there  is 
enough  in  the  fashionable  amusements  of  the 
higher  circles  to  banish  serious  thoughts,  and 
ossify  the  heart. 

Young  men,  whose  characters  are  yet  being- 
formed,  specially  need  the  guarding  influences 
of  Church-membership.  Leaving  home  to  attend 
college,  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  business,  or 
learn  a  trade,  or  in  some  other  wav  just  enter- 


DEMANDED   BY   OUR   SOCIAL   NATURES.      127 

ing  on  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life, 
they  are  in  special  danger.  Almost  everywhere, 
especially  in  our  cities  and  villages,  there  is  a 
class  of  men,  whose  feelings  and  principles  lead 
them  to  associate  in  works  of  darkness.  The  dis- 
tinctions which  they  maintain  in  the  open  walks 
of  life,  are  lost  in  the  nightly  cabal,  around  the 
card-table,  in  the  grog-shop,  and  in  those  sinks 
of  infamy  and  guilt  which  are  ''  the  way  to  hell, 
going  down  to  the  chambers  of  death."  With 
such  persons,  though  there  may  not  be  a  formal 
agreement  or  a  fixed  plan,  there  is  yet  a  secret 
consent,  to  seduce  every  young  man  who  may  come 
within  their  reach,  and  reduce  him  to  their  own 
standard.  If  there  is  a  hell,  they  wish  to  go  there 
in  company,  and  every  new  recruit  helps  to  silence 
misgivings.  They  are  the  retailers  of  infidel 
scoffs  and  sneers,  of  smutty  anecdotes,  of  dark 
innuendos  against  ministers  of  the  Gospel  and 
other  pious  men.  They  laugh  at  religion — count 
its  scruples  weakness  and  superstition,  and  its 
holiest  truths  the  tales  of  the  nursery.  They 
know  how  to  raise  objections,  start  difficulties, 
and  excite  doubts.     Thev  know  how  to  turn  the 


128  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

frailties  and  foibles  of  Christians  to  ridicule, 
and  raise  the  laugh  not  simply  at  their  expense, 
but  at  the  expense  of  religion  itself  They  are 
familiar  with  the  infidel  and  immoral  literature 
of  the  age,  conversant  with  all  its  fascinating 
amusements ;  at  home  in  the  lurking-places  of 
evil,  and  with  instinctive  shrewdness  prepared 
to  suit  their  decoy  to  the  taste  and  the  tempera- 
ment of  their  destined  victim.  They  know  how 
to  approach  a  young  man — how  to  spread  the 
snare  for  his  feet — how  to  lead  him  into  it. 
They  know  how  to  make  themselves  agreeable, 
and  how  to  flatter.  "  You  are  a  fine  fellow,  and 
will  soon  get  the  better  of  your  prejudices.  All 
you  want  is  a  little  knowledge  of  the  world. 
Eeligion  is  well  enough  for  old  folks ;  but,  if 
you  have  any  spirit,  now  is  the  time  to  enjoy 
yourself'^  If  any  one  yields  the  least,  they  will 
advance  upon  him,  and  always  keep  the  ground 
they  get;  and  their  prey  will  be  forced  to  yield 
more,  and  they  will  advance  on  him,  and  ad- 
vance on  him,  till  he  is  lost.  "  Evil  communi- 
cations corrupt  good  manners.  "  A  companion 
of  fools  shall  be  destroyed.'^     "  Enter  not  into 


A    SHIELD.  129 

the  path  of  the  wicked,  and  go  not  in  the  way 
of  evil  men.  Avoid  it ;  pass  not  by  it ;  turn 
from  it,  and  pass  away.  For  they  sleep  not, 
except  they  have  done  mischief;  and  their  sleep 
is  taken  away,  unless  they  cause  some  one  to 
fall." 

To  these  influences  young  men  out  of  the 
Church  are  fearfully  exposed ;  but  the  Christian 
profession  is  a  shield.  When  a  person  confesses 
Christ  before  men,  and  by  joining  the  Church 
declares  himself  on  the  Lord's  side,  he  bids  such 
characters  away.  The  language  of  his  conduct  is, 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  wicked  men ;  ye  evil  doers ; 
for  I  will  keep  the  commandments  of  my  God.'^ 
He  abandons  the  world,  and  the  world  gives  up 
its  claim  on  him.  He  has  taken  his  stand  ;  and 
they  feel  that  it  is  useless  any  longer  to  ply 
him  with  their  seductive  arts.  Hate  his  pro- 
fession as  they  may,  and  do,  there  is  yet  a  ven- 
erableness,  a  sacredness  around  it,  that  puts  an 
end  to  all  their  freedoms  and  familiarities,  and 
keeps  them  at  a  distance.  Or,  if  they  do  attack 
him,  it  is  no  longer  with  the  lure  of  the  tempter, 
but  with  the  bitterness  of  an  open  enemy. 


130  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

What  a  sad  omen  is  it  tlien,  that  our  young 
men  so  generally  postpone  the  Christian  profes- 
sion. They  cast  away  the  shield,  which  the 
Saviour  would  interpose  between  them  and  the 
adversaries  of  their  souls,  and  travel  unprotected 
the  most  dangerous  part  of  their  pilgrimage 
through  the  enemy's  land !  No  wonder  so  many 
fall  victims  to  the  foe,  and  so  few  attain  the 
promised  rest.  It  argues  a  fearful  indifference 
to  their  eternal  interests — or  a  no  less  danger- 
ous self-confidence.  For  let  him  that  thinketh 
he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall. 

But  not  only  is  the  man,  who  refuses  the 
Christian  profession,  exposed  to  the  dangerous 
influences  of  the  world,  hut  he  shuts  himself  out 
from  the  benign  social  influences  of  the  people 
of  God.  While  a  man  does  not  make  a  profes- 
sion, he  can  not  enjoy  with  freedom  and  confi- 
dence the  society  of  Christian  people.  He  and 
they  both  feel  a  restraint  and  a  distrust,  which 
Christians  do  not  feel  toward  one  another.  They 
can  not  regard  him  as  a  brother,  and  can  not 
act  toward  him  with  the  feelings  they  have  to  a 
brother;  and  he  knows  and  feels  that  they  can 


NON-PROFESSOR   SHUT   OUT.  131 

not.  Their  society,  therefore  is  less  pleasing 
and  less  profitable  to  him.  His  sympathies  as 
a  social  being,  will  lead  him  to  seek  society  and 
the  free  and  unreserved  intercourse  of  men  some- 
where ;  and  the  very  fact  that  he  does  not  and 
can  not  enjoy  it  among  Christians,  will  tempt 
him  to  seek  it  in  the  world. 

But  when  a  man  joins  the  Church,  and  just  in 
proportion  as  he  walks  worthy  of  his  profession, 
he  is  admitted  to  the  confidence  and  the  sym- 
pathies of  all  the  true  members  of  the  house- 
hold of  faith,  and,  enjoying  the  advantages  of 
their  society,  is  freed  from  the  temptation,  to 
which  the  non-professor  is  exposed,  to  indulge 
his  social  affections  in  the  society  and  customs 
of  the  world,  whose  "friendship  is  enmity  with 
God.'' 

IV.  Another  consideration,  my  friend,  worthy 
of  your  attention,  is,  that  a  profession  of  religion 
is  necessary  in  order  to  a  filial  and  comfortable 
discharge  of  other  Christian  duties.  Here  I  may 
appeal  to  the  experience  of  those  persons  who 
have  been  under  the  government  of  religious 
convictions,  and  have  felt  it  to  be  their  duty  to 


132  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

join  the  Church,  but  yet  have  delayed  from  time 
to  time.  Have  you  never  observed,  how  they 
have  been  deterred  from  certain  duties,  as,  for 
example,  family  worship,  and  the  invocation  of 
the  Divine  blessing  on  their  meals,  in  a  great 
measure  by  the  consideration  that  they  were 
not  professors  of  religion  ?  This,  particularly  in 
the  presence  of  strangers.  They  felt,  that  had 
they  been  professors  of  religion,  it  would  have 
been  expected  of  them ;  but  not  being  such,  it 
would  rather  excite  surprise  ;  and  so,  being  des- 
titute of  the  plea  and  reason  of  the  Christian 
profession,  their  feelings  of  backwardness  and 
timidity  overcame  their  sense  of  duty. 

But  there  is  another  thing  to  be  considered. 
Living  in  the  neglect  of  the  known  duty  of  con- 
fessing Christ,  their  conscience  is  not  void  of 
offense  toward  God.  The  guilt  of  this  neglect, 
and  of  those  other  neglects  into  which  it  betrays 
them,  haunts  them  in  those  Christian  duties 
which  they  do  attempt.  The  feeling  of  a  culprit 
steals  upon  them  as  they  read  their  Bible,  or 
hear  the  Gospel,  or  kneel  in  their  closet.  The 
spirit  of  bondage  and  fear  entrammels  them. 


NON-PROFESSOR   SHUT   OUT.  133 

They  are  are  strangers  to  the  boldness  and  lib- 
erty of  the  spirit  of  adoption,  and  to  the  feelings 
of  a  child  of  God  in  communion  with  his  Heav- 
enly Father.  This  renders  the  secret  duties  of 
religion  less  pleasant,  if  not  unpleasant — and 
tempts  to  their  total  neglect.  In  the  midst  of 
these  duties  they  are  ever  and  anon  reminded 
of  these  awful  sayings  of  Christ,  and  the  mon- 
itor within  whispers  that  they  stand  recorded 
against  them:  "  If  any  man  be  ashamed  of  me, 
and  of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful 
generation,  of  him  shall  the  Son  of  Man  be 
ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father,  with  the  holy  angels."  ''  Whosoever 
shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.'' 

y.  Finally,  I  would  have  you  to  consider,  that 
the  solemn  obligations  under  ivhich  we  come  in 
professing  Christ,  are  a  salutary  and  a  necessary 
chech  and  safeguard  of  our  religious  principles, 
amid  the  temptations  of  life.  We  are  weak; 
and  temptations,  manifold  and  powerful,  beset 
us  on  every  side.  The  vows  and  obligations 
of  the  Christian  profession,  when  duly  consid- 


134  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

ered,  serve  to  place  us  on  our  guard,  and 
impose  a  powerful  restraint  on  our  rising 
passions  and  clamorous  appetites.  The  thought 
that  we  have  vowed  to  God,  and  have  done  so 
over  the  emblems  of  the  broken  body  and  shed 
blood  of  the  Eedeemer,  and  in  the  presence  of 
the  Church,  and  the  world,  and  of  angels  and 
men — that,  by  doing  this  sinful  thing,  or  leav- 
ing that  duty  undone,  we  shall  break  our 
covenant  with  our  God,  and  bring  reproach  on 
his  name,  is  a  thought  well  suited  to  make  us 
rally,  and  recover  our  standing  in  the  hour 
when  temptation  has  caused  us  to  waver.  It  is 
a  means  of  conservation  which  He,  who  knows 
our  frames,  has  appointed ;  and  it  is  one  which 
wisdom  and  humility  will  embrace,  and  which 
folly  and  pride  only  will  reject.  It  is  no 
impeachment  of  a  man's  moral  or  religious 
principle  to  say  that  he  needs  it.  Just  so  the 
oath  in  civil  matters.  It  is  exacted  of  the 
most  honorable  and  virtuous  men.  Its  appli- 
cation to  the  most  illustrious  individuals  is 
based,  certainly  not  on  the  ground  of  any  par- 
ticular lack  of  virtue,  but  on  the  ground  of  our 


A   NECESSARY   CHECK.  135 

common  frailty,  which  renders  such  restraints 
and  safeguards  needful. 

My  Friend,  let  me  entreat  you  to  lay  these 
considerations  to  heart.  Eeview  them  : — First ; 
You  can  not  refuse  this  profession  without  dis- 
obeying Christ ;  and  willful  disobedience,  in  any 
case,  is  damning.  Second ;  It  is  only  in  the 
Church  of  God  that  you  have  any  warrant  to 
expect  the  saving  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  make  you  meet  for  heaven.  Tliird;  The 
very  laws  of  your  social  nature  require  you, 
if  you  would  be  saved,  to  withdraw  from  the 
society  of  the  world,  and  join  that  of  the  people 
of  God ;  and  this  you  can  do  only  by  joining 
the  Church.  Fourth ;  A  profession  of  religion 
is  necessary  to  the  filial  and  comfortable  per- 
formance of  other  religious  duties ;  so  that  if 
you  neglect  this  profession,  you  expose  your- 
self to  the  danger  of  abandoning  religion 
altogether.  And,  finally ;  The  vows  and  obli- 
gations of  the  Christian  profession  are  a  neces- 
sary safeguard  amid  the  temptations  of  life. 
And,  withal,  keep  in  mind  the  solemn  and  oft- 
repeated  declaration  of  Him  whose  words  never 


136  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

fall  to  the  ground,  tliat  he  will  deny  before 
his  Father  and  the  holy  angels,  the  man  who 
neglects  this  profession.  Consider  these  things, 
and  if  you  have  never  made  this  profession,  it 
is  high  time  for  you  to  make  your  final  deci- 
sion. Then  make  up  your  mind ;  and  whatever 
reason  decides  to  be  duty,  do  it  with  your  might. 

There  are  two  classes  of  non-professors ;  and, 
if  you  are  a  non-professor,  it  behooves  you  to 
consider  to  which  of  these  classes  you  belong. 

First ;  there'  are  the  manifestly  careless. 
These  are  unfit  to  join  the  Church.  But  why? 
Because  destitute  of  religion.  They  are  unbe- 
lievers and  impenitent  sinners.  They  may  have 
a  speculative  belief  in  the  truth  and  doctrines 
of  Christianity;  but  they  believe  not  with  their 
hearts.  With  all  their  belief,  they  are  care- 
less ;  while  the  very  devils  believe  and  tremble. 
They  know  that  they  are  unfit  to  join  the 
Church;  but,  0!  that  they  would  lay  to  heart 
all  that  is  implied  in  their  unfitness.  It  is, 
that  they  are  destitute,  and  that  by  their  own 
willful  rejection  of  it,  of  the  only  justifying 
righteousness  made  known   to  a   guilty  world, 


THE   CARELESS   NON-PROFESSOR.  137 

and  are  consequently  under  the  wrath  and 
curse  of  Almighty  God.  This  is  their  condem- 
nation, that  light  has  come  into  the  world, 
and  they  have  chosen  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil.  By  their 
unbelief  they  ''make  God  a  liar;"  and  "the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  them."  Unfit  for  the 
society  of  God's  people  here,  they  are  much 
more  unfit  for  heaven.  The  only  place  in  the 
universe  for  which  they  are  fit,  is  hell.  They 
are  continued  on  earth  only  by  the  long-suffer- 
ing of  God.  Their  first  duty,  and  their  only 
hope,  is  to  flee  immediately,  without  another 
moment's  delay,  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and 
betake  themselves,  by  faith  in  a  crucified 
Saviour,  to  the  only  hope  for  our  lost  world. 
"  He  that  believe th,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned." 

But  there  is  another  class  of  non-professors  : 
They  may  be  called  serious  persons.  Such  keep 
the  Sabbath,  read  the  Bible,  attend  the  house  of 
God,  perhaps  attend  the  prayer-meeting,  and 
keep  up  family  duties  and  closet  religion;  but 


138  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

they  keep  back  from  the  Lord's  table.  Their 
usual  plea  is  their  unworthiness,  and  their  fear 
of  failing  in  their  profession.  Both  these  pleas 
show  a  dangerous  unbelief.  If  they  had  a 
proper  sense  of  their  unworthiness,  they  would 
go  to  Christ,  that  through  his  righteousness 
and  grace  they  might  be  rendered  meet ;  and 
if  they  had  a  proper  sense  of  their  weakness, 
they  would  rely  on  the  spirit  of  Christ  to 
strengthen  them.  They  would  hail  with  joy 
the  assurance,  "  My  grace  shall  be  sufficient  for 
you ;  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness.'^ It  is  not  by  remaining  out  of  the 
Church  that  they  are  to  make  trial  of  Christ's 
faithfulness  and  grace  to  support  them  in  the 
faith  and  obedience  of  the  Gospel ;  but  by  pro- 
fessing his  name,  and  seeking  him  in  all  his 
institutions. 

And  if  any,  professing  to  have  these  fears, 
do  really  mourn  over  their  unbelief;  if  they 
are  pained  under  their  sense  of  unworthiness ; 
if  they  long  to  be  delivered  from  their  sins 
and  their  temptations ;  if  they  thirst  after  an 
interest  in  Christ,  and  after  conformity  to  his 


THE   THOUaHTFUL  NON-PROFESSOR.  139 

image,  and  conscientiously  wait  on  God  in  all 
other  duties ;  then  it  is  their  privilege,  as  well 
as  their  duty,  to  come  to  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
as  the  best  means,  and  the  appointed  means,  of 
strengthening  their  faith,  and  delivering  them 
from  their  doubts  and  fears.  *'  Who  is  amono' 
you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the 
voice  of  his  servant,  that  walketh  in  darkness 
and  hath  no  light?  Let  him  trust  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God."  IsraeFs 
shepherd  "  gathers  the  lambs  in  his  arms,  and 
carries  them  in  his  bosom."  "He  has  com- 
passion on  the  ignorant  and  them  that  are  out 
of  the  way."  "  The  bruised  reed  he  will  not 
break,  and  the  smoking  flax  he  will  not 
quench." 

Sometimes  we  find  men  excusing  themselves 
for  not  joining  the  Church,  by  adverting  to  the 
infirmities  and  inconsistencies  of  professors  of 
religion.  This  is  sometimes  done  in  connec- 
tion with  an  expression  of  fear,  that  they  them- 
selves might  fail  in  like  manner.  But  what 
does  this  fear  in  this  connection  amount  to? 
To  nothing  less  than  a  charge  that  the  failure 


140  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

of  these  members  of  the  Church  has  falsified 
the  Saviour's  promise.  Because  these  have 
failed,  through  their  unbelief,  you  are  not 
willing  to  trust  the  Saviour's  word !  But  some- 
times the  inconsistenqies  and  infirmities  of 
professors  are  referred  to  as  a  real  objection 
to  the  Christian  profession.  This  is  another 
example  of  the  illogical  reasoning  of  the  carnal 
heart.  Can  the  failure  of  some  men  to  do  their 
duty,  when  they  profess  to  do  it,  excuse  others 
in  neglecting  their  duty  altogether?  Until 
this  is  made  out,  the  objection  is  worthless. 
The  professor  who  fails  in  his  profession,  must 
account  to  God  for  that  failure;  and  the  man 
who  altogether  neglects  that  profession,  must 
account  for  that  neglect.  "  Every  man  shall 
bear  his  own  burden," 

Occasionally  we  find  men  pleading,  that  there 
is  no  Church  in  reach  whose  doctrines  and 
worship  suit  them.  Where  this  plea  is  con- 
scientious, let  such,  for  their  own  good  and 
their  children's,  and  for  the  glory  of  Christ, 
be  entreated  to  move,  even  should  it  be  with 
worldly  loss,  into  the  bounds  of  a  Church  with 


PLEAS   FOR   OMITTING   IT.  141 

which  they  can  conscientiously  unite.  But  often, 
I  fear,  the  plea  is  insincere ;  and  it  behooves 
those  who  use  it  to  inquire,  in  the  presence  of 
Him  who  will  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by 
Jesus  Christ,  if  they  are  not  merely  consult- 
ing their  own  convenience  and  indifference  in 
remaining  out  of  the  Church  ?  And  let  them 
ask  themselves,  if  they  are  not  living  in  the 
frequent  omission,  if  not  total  neglect,  of  closet 
devotion  and  family  religion  ?  "  Doth  not  He 
that  pondereth  the  heart,  consider  it?  and  He 
that  keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  He  not  know  it? 
And  shall  not  He  render  to  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  works  ?  " 

Yours, 


LETTER    XI. 


THE  TRIALS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 
My  Dear  Friend:  — 

HAvma  taken  a  view  of  the  nature,  duties, 
importance,  and  necessity  of  the  Christian  pro- 
fession, I  would  now  place  before  you  some  of 
its  TRIALS.  Our  Saviour  does  not  wish  us  to 
enter  on  this  profession  without  counting  the 
cost.  He  gives  us  fair  warning,  that  trials  — 
peculiar  trials  —  await  us  if  we  enlist  in  his 
service ;  and  he  will  have  us  to  enlist  with  no 
other  feelings  than  those  of  men  who  expect 
to  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers.  The  fol- 
lowing passage,  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  the 
Gospel  according  to  Luke,  is  very  instructive : 
"  And  there  went  great  multitudes  with  him ; 


TRIALS  FORETOLD  AND  TO  BE  EXPECTED.  143 

and  he  turned,  and  said  unto  tliem,  If  any  man 
come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father,  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren, 
and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  can 
not  be  my  disciple.  And  whosoever  doth  not 
bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  can  not  be 
my  disciple.  For  which  of  you  intending  to 
build  a  tower,  sitteth  not  down  first,  and  count- 
eth  the  cost,  whether  he  have  sufficient  to  finish 
it  ?  Lest,  haply,  after  he  hath  laid  the  founda- 
tion, and  is  not  able  to  finish  it,  all  that  behold 
it  begin  to  mock  him,  saying.  This  man  began 
to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish.  Or  what 
king  going  to  make  war  against  another  king, 
sitteth  not  down  first,  and  consulteth  whether 
he  be  able  with  ten  thousand,  to  meet  him  that 
Cometh  against  him  with  twenty  thousand? 
Or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off, 
he  sendeth  an  embassage,  and  desireth  condi- 
tions of  peace.  So,  likewise,  whosoever  he  be 
of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  he  hath,  can  not 
be  my  disciple.'^ 

Jesus  Christ  wants  no  faint-hearted  recruits. 
Every  man  who  joins  his  standard,  must  come 


144  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

fully  resolved,  fully  equipped,  prepared  to  do 
battle  to  the  end.  In  order  to  do  this,  one 
thing  necessary  is  to  know  something  of  the 
trials  which  await  him.  To  he  forewarned,  is 
to  be  forearmed. 

The  peculiar  trials  of  the  Christian  pro- 
fession, flow  from  the  peculiar  station  which  the 
Christian,  from  the  very  nature  of  his  pro- 
fession, occupies ;  from  the  peculiar  duties  he 
has  to  perform  ;  and,  from  the  circumstances  in 
which  he  is  called  to  exercise  his  profession, 
having  to  contend  with  indwelling  sin,  the 
fascinations  and  oppositions  of  this  sinful  world, 
and,  the  crafty,  malicious,  and  powerful  efforts 
of  Satan.  It  will,  therefore,  my  Friend,  be 
necessary  to  carry  with  us  a  view  of  the  nature 
and  duties  of  this  profession.  You  will  please, 
then,  recur  to  the  points  presented  in  Letters 
Second  to  the  Seventh  inclusive. 

Some  of  the  sorest  trials  of  the  Christian, 
and  deserving  to  be  named  first,  are  those 
which  result  from  his  contendings  with  self. 
In  all  his  duties,  there  is  an  opposing  principle 
within  himself,  against  which  he  has  to  main- 


TRIALS   FROM   SELF.  145 

tain  a  continual  warfare  —  ''  Sin  wliicli  dwelleth 
in  him."  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit, 
and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh ;  and  these  are 
contrary,  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  can 
not  do  the  things  that  ye  would/'  The  "  flesh '' 
is  the  principle  of  remaining  depra^dty  in  the 
Christian;  elsewhere  called  the  "old  man," 
Avhich  is  described  as  "  corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts."  It  is  called  the  man,  because 
the  corruption  afiects  the  whole  human  person 
in  all  his  parts  and  powers ;  and  the  old  man, 
because  it  denotes  the  principle  under  which  we . 
are  first  by  nature,  and  continue  to  be  till  we 
are  regenerated,  and  because  it  is  a  principle 
which,  in  the  true  Christian,  is  decaying,  and 
will  at  last  vanish  away.  It  is  called  ilnQ  flesh, 
because  its  propensities  are,  in  their  more  strik- 
ing workings,  excited  and  gratified  through 
the  bodily  organs,  and  because  it  continues  to 
trouble  the  Christian  so  long  as  he  is  in  this 
present  body,  and  no  longer. 

In  regeneration,  a  new  principle  is  created  in 
the  soul  —  a  principle  of  spiritual  life  —  a  prin- 
ciple of  holiness.     This  is  called  the  spirit,  and 
12 


146  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

the  new  man.  The  spirit;  because  produced 
by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  because  it  renders  the  man 
in  whom  it  is,  spiritual;  —  in  knowledge,  right- 
eousness, and  holiness,  like  unto  God,  the 
Father  of  spirits;  and  because  it  fits  us  for  the 
enjoyments  and  employments  of  the  spiritual 
world.  It  is  called  the  new  man;  because  it 
pervades  the  whole  man  in  his  entire  moral 
constitution ;  and  because  it  comes  in  after 
the  principle  of  corruption  has  had  the  sway, 
and  grows  strong  as  that  principle  decays, 
and  shall  flourish  in  the  beauty  and  vigor  of 
immortal  youth,  when  the  other  shall  have 
forever  disappeared.  These  two  principles  are 
in  direct  and  uncompromising  antagonism. 
"  These  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.'^ 
The  consequence  is  a  continual  conflict.  The 
spirit,  or  new  man,  is  for  maintaining  the 
Christian  profession,  with  all  its  affections  and 
duties.  The  flesh,  the  old  man,  is  opposed ; 
and,  though. the  spirit  is  predominant,  the  other 
is  strong  and  restless :  —  an  enemy,  though 
mortally  wounded,  yet  of  an  unsubdued  and 
unsubduable  spirit,  putting  forth  his  energies, 


TRIALS   FROM    SELF.  147 

and  taking  advantage  at  every  opportunity; 
and,  with  the  world  and  Satan  as  auxiliaries,  it 
gains  many  a  temporary  advantage,  so  that  the 
Christian  "can  not  do  the  things  which  he 
would."  ^ 

Such  is  the  Christian's  condition  in  this  .j/f^^ 
world.  In  heaven  alone  will  the  spiritual,  or 
new  man,  reign  unimpeded,  unannoyed,  by  the 
flesh.  There  alone  shall  the  Christian  serve 
and  enjoy  God  without  painful  conflicts  with 
corrupt  self;  for,  from  this  corrupt  self  he  will 
never  he  entirely  delivered,  till  he  enter  that 
state  of  sinless  perfection.  The  greater  spirit- 
ual maturity  he  attains,  the  less  violent  and 
painful,  for  the  most  part,  will  the  struggle 
become ;  because,  as  the  flesh  waxes  weaker,  and 
the  spirit  waxes  stronger,  the  conquest  will  be 
more  easy;  but  the  warfare  ceases  not  till 
carnal  self  is  destroyed.  As  long  as  the  Chris- 
tian is  in  this  world,  he  needs  to  keep  the  law 
of  Christ  practically  in  view,  as  a  law  that  still 
continues  to  be  applicable  to  himself :  "  If  any 
man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  liimmlfP 


148  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

The  denial  of  self  will  be  his  work  till  the  end 
of  his  days. 

Tliat  professing  Christian  may  seem  to  savor 
of  a  high  degree  of  sanctity,  who  says  that  he 
finds  nothing  difiicult  or  painful,  in  this  matter. 
But  if  he  speaks  as  he  feels,  it  is  manifest  that 
he  is  a  stranger  to  the  work  of  self-denial  — 
that  he  does  not  deny  himself,  and  is  a  miserable 
self-deceiver.  And,  my  friend,  if  there  is  noth- 
ing in  which  you  have  to  exercise  a  painful  self- 
denial,  I  tremble  for  your  condition  I  Even  the 
apostle  Paul,  who  did  "  not  count  his  life  dear 
unto  him  "  for  Christ's  sake,  had  yet  to  lament 
with  a  heart  wrung  with  anguish,  "  I  know  that 
in  me,  (that  is,  in  my  flesh)  dwelleth  no  good 
thing;  for  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how 
to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  find  not.  For 
the  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not,  but  the  evil 
which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  Now  if  I  do  that 
I  would  not,  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin 
that  dwelleth  in  me.  I  find  then  a  law,  that 
when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me. 
J'or  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God,  after  the  inner 


TRIALS   FROM    SELF.  149 

man.  But  I  see  another  law  in  my  members, 
warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bring- 
ing me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is 
in  my  members.  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  ! 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  T 

It  is  evident  that  the  apostle  in  this  passage 
gave  his  then  present  experience  —  his  experi- 
ence as  a  Christian,  highly  sanctified  though  he 
was — and  not  his  experience  before  his  con- 
version, as  some  contend.  The  subject  of  this 
painful  conflict,  and  of  this  doleful  complaint, 
describes  himself  at  the  same  time  as  "  delight- 
ing in  the  law  of  God,  after  the  inner  manJ^ 
But  no  unregenerate  person  can  delight  in  the 
law  of  God ;  on  the  contrary,  as  the  apostle 
affirms  in  the  very  next  chapter,  "  the  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be." 

In  another  place,  speaking  of  himself,  as  all 
must  admits,  in  his  apostolic  course,  he  uses  the 
following  figurative,  but  very  expressive  lan- 
guage, graphically  descriptive  of  a  powerful 
and  painful  struggle  with  self:  "  I,  therefore, 


150  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

SO  run,  not  as  uncertainly ;  so  fight  I,  not  as  one 
that  beateth  the  air  :  but  I  keep  under  my  body, 
and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any 
means  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself 
should  be  a  castaway.'^ 

All  parts  of  Scripture  concur  in  representing 
the  denial  of  self,  not  only  as  the  duty  of  the 
professing  Christian,  but  as  a  duty  involving 
trials  and  difiiculties  of'  the  most  painful  kinds. 
Various  figures  are  used  to  represent  this.  Is 
it  a  painful  tiling  for  a  man  of  sensibility  to 
have  his  feelings  mortified  —  or,  is  mortification 
in  any  member  of  the  body  usually  connected 
with  severe,  and  often  extreme,  pain  ?  This 
figure  is  used  :  "  Mortify,  therefore,  your  mem- 
bers which  are  on  the  earth. '^  Is  the  plucking 
out  of  an  eye,  or  the  amputation  of  an  arm  or 
a  foot  painful  ?  This  figure  is  used:  "And  if 
thy  right  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out  and  cast 
it  from  thee  ;  and  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee, 
cut  it  off",  and  cast  it  from  thee  ;  for  it  is  pro- 
fitable for  thee,  that  one  of  thy  members  should 
perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  should  be 
cast  into  hell."     But  worst  of  all,  is  crucifixion 


TRIALS  FROM   SELF.  151 

painful,  in  whicli  the  body,  after  being  severely 
scourged,  is  fastened  by  iron  spikes,  driven 
through  the  hands  and  feet,  to  a  cross,  which 
is  then  violently  planted  in  the  ground,  and  the 
body,  suspended  in  its  whole  weight  by  the 
hands  and  feet,  is  left  to  linger,  in  an  agony  of 
torture,  till  death  ?  This  figure  is  used  :  "  Cru- 
cify the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts. '^ 

Those  things,  which  are  in  themselves  painful 
and  disagreeable,  become  far  more  so  when  we 
have  to  inflict  them  on  ourselves.  Many  have 
suffered  the  amputation  of  an  arm  or  leg,  but 
few  could  summon  courage  to  amputate  their 
own.  But  all  these  painful  deeds  of  self-denial 
we  must  perform  on  ourselves.  It  is  self-denial. 
It  is  that  which  requires  moral  courage  —  a 
doing,  and  suffering,  and  foregoing  things  from 
fixed  principles.  "  Let  him  deny  himself.''^ 
"  Mortify  your  corrupt  members.^'  "  If  thine 
eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from 
thee."  Now  all  this,  making  all  due  allowance 
for  the  strength  of  the  figures,  may  teach  us, 
that  that  professor  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  who 
has  no  painful  and  disagreeable  struggles  with 


152  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

self,  ill  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  a  Christian, 
has  the  strongest  reason  to  apprehend  that  he^ 
has  only  a  name  to  live. 

The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and 
desperately  wicked  ;  and  sad  and  distressing  is 
the  evidence  which  the  truly  enlightened  Chris- 
tian has  of  this  truth  in  the  workings  of  deprav- 
ity in  his  own  heart.  It  meets  and  annoys  and 
strives  to  baffle  him  at  every  point ;  it  would 
corrupt  his  purest  affections  and  pollute  his 
holiest  services. 

In  the  first  great  duty  of  the  Christian  Pro- 
fession, for  example  —  that  is,  in  the  exercise 
of  those  vital  principles  of  grace  which  lie  at 
the  foundation  of  the  Christian  character — what 
a  conflict  with  self  does  the  true  Christian  ex- 
perience !  Here  the  enemy  is  righteous  self. 
The  man  of  undissembled  piety  finds  it  a  most 
difficult  matter  to  feel  himself  sufficiently  low 
in  the  presence  of  God ;  and  after  his  most 
strenuous  efforts  to  abase  himself,  it  is  his  grief 
that  he  thinks  of  himself  more  highly  than  he 
ought  to  think.  And  this  proneness  to  form  a 
good  opinion  of  himself,  often  involves  him  in 


TRIALS  FROM    SELF.  153 

the  meshes  of  self-righteousness  and  self-suffi- 
ciency ere  he  is  aware.  It  steals  upon  him  like 
the  nightmare  at  the  very  time  that  he  is  repos- 
ing most  sweetly  in  communion  with  God  ;  and 
then,  like  a  dark  cloud  on  the  face  of  the  sun, 
it  obscures  his  view  of  God's  glory,  holiness  and 
grace,  and  covers  from  his  sight  the  light  of 
God's  countenance.  A  feeling  of  self-righteous- 
ness often  steals  in  with  the  happy  consciousness 
of  gracious  afiections,  and  gracious  conduct,  to 
mar  his  reliance  on  the  Saviour's  merits ;  and  a 
feeling  of  self-sufficiency,  to  mar  his  reliance  on 
the  Saviour's  grace.  Insidious  self-esteem  often 
prevents  him  from  realizing  the  hatefulness  of 
sin,  and  from  humbling  himself^  and  loathing 
and  abhorring  himself,  as  he  would,  and  hardens 
that  heart  which  he  wishes  to  keep  broken  and 
contrite.  Self-love  clashes  with  love  to  God, 
and  with  benevolence  to  men  ;  and  militates 
against  a  proper  concern  for  his  own  soul.  Of 
all  this  every  true  Christian  is  more  or  less  sen- 
sible ;  and  deplores,  that  in  himself,  he  finds  an 
enemy  at  the  very  threshhold — an  enemy  that 
assails  the  life  and  soul  of  his  profession, 
13 


154  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

Follow  tlie  Christian  into  the  second  great 
duty  of  his  profession — the  observance  of  Gospel 
ordinances.  Here  depraved  self  opposes  him  in 
various  ways.  It  suggests  divers  excuses  for 
neglecting  them,  or  some  of  them  —  if  not 
altogether  —  for  a  season,  until  a  more  con- 
venient time ;  if  not  for  a  season,  at  least  for 
this  time — this  once — only  this  once.  But  if 
the  Christian  will  not  at  all  neglect,  then  the 
workings  of  this  indwelling  depravity  render 
him  liable  to  formality.  He  must  watch  and 
pray,  lest,  while  he  keeps  up  the  forms  of  wor- 
ship, he  fall  into  a  spiritual  stupor  that  would  turn 
all  into  a  lip  service  and  the  solemn  mockery  of 
an  unengaged  heart — a  besetting  sin,  it  is  to  be 
feared,  of  many  professing  Christians  of  the 
present  day.  But  should  the  Christian  gain  the 
mastery  at  this  point,  and  find  himself  enabled 
to  worship  God  with  lively  affections,  then  he  is 
in  danger  of  self-complacency  and  self-adulation ; 
of  taking  glory  to  himself,  instead  of  ascribing 
all  the  glory  to  God  ;  and  of  trusting  his  frames 
and  his  graces,  instead  of  relying  solely  in  the 
righteousness  and  grace  of  Christ.     Thus  it  is 


TRIALS   FROM    SELF.  155 

a  battle  from  beginning  to  end  ;  and  the  enemy 
within  is  to  be  watched  and  resisted  at  every 
step. 

Again;  follow  the  Christian  into  the  third 
great  duty  of  his  profession — the  practice  of  the 
social  virtues.  Self-interest  and  appetite  tempt 
him  to  turn  aside  from  that  which  is  just,  and 
true,  and  pure,  and  lovely,  and  praiseworthy ; 
while  his  profession  not  only  calls  him  to  a 
higher  exhibition  of  these  virtues  than  is  fur- 
nished  in  the  practice  of  worldly  men,  but 
requires  him  to  be  virtuous  from  higher  prin- 
ciples than  those  which  influence  the  men  of  the 
world.  The  latter  are  virtuous  from  selfish 
principles,  or  from  principles  resolvable  into  self- 
ishness, and  the  great  difiiculty  of  the  Christian 
is  so  to  deny  himself  as  to  rise  above  these  prin- 
ciples, and  practice  the  social  virtues  from  a 
pure  sense  of  duty — to  do  those  things  which 
are  just  and  true,  and  of  good  report,  not  because 
it  will  secure  him  the  respect  and  good-will  of 
men,  nor  yet  merely  because  these  things  are 
useful  to  society,  but  chiefly  because  they  are 
just,  and  right,  and  agreeable  to  the  will  of 


156  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

God.  The  Christian  has  then  to  combat  the 
selfish  tendencies  of  his  nature,  not  merely  that 
he  may  not  come  short  in  the  practice  of  these 
virtues,  but  also  that  he  may  practice  from 
higher  principles  than  those  of  the  world. 

But  it  is  in  the  next  class  of  Christian  duties, 
that  our  indwelling  depravity  arrays  itself  in 
most  vigorous  and  restless  antagonism — in  the 
exercise  of  humility,  meekness,  forbearance,  and 
forgiveness  ;  those  tempers  and  graces,  which  are 
peculiarly  Christ-like,  and  which  pre-eminently 
distinguish  the  possessor  as  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 
These  are  the  peculiar  and  distinguishing  virtues 
of  the  Gospel,  which  our  proud,  selfish  hearts  are 
most  reluctant  to  obey.  The  Gospel  says,  "  Be 
clothed  with  humility  ;'^  but  self  is  proud.  The 
Gospel  says,  "  Blessed  are  the  meek  f  but  self 
is  easily  provoked,  stirs  up  wrath,  and  flies  into 
a  passion.  The  Gospel  says,  "  Forbear  one 
another  in  love ;"  but  self  exclaims,  "  I  will 
bear  it  no  longer.^'  The  Gospel  says,  "  Be  kind 
to  one  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one 
another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  for- 


TRIALS   FROM   SELF.  157 

given  you;''  but  self  is  implacable,  resentful, 
and  stern  in  demanding  satisfaction.  The 
Gospel  says,  "  Confess  your  faults  to  one 
another,  and  pray  for  one  another ;"  but  self 
is  high-spirited,  and  says,  "  I  can  not  stoop 
to  that." 

And  in  the  last-named  duty  of  the  Christian 
profession,  that  of  studying  the  prosperity  of  the 
Christian  commonwealth,  the  Christian  has  to 
combat  that  corrupt  principle  still  lurking  with- 
in him,  which  would  lead  him  to  seek  his  own, 
instead  of  the  things  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  self- 
ish passions  of  envy,  pride  and  vain-glory,  would 
disturb  Zion's  peace,  and  increase  her  divisions. 
The  love  of  ease  would  render  him  inactive  in 
her  service.  A  selfish  dread  of  public  opinion, 
the  fear  of  man  which  bringeth  a  snare,  and  the 
love  of  popularity  would  cramp,  or  turn  aside, 
those  energies,  which  he  should  employ  in  the 
cause  of  truth  and  holiness,  and  in  opposing 
infidelity,  error,  and  vice.  And  the  love  of 
wealth  and  worldly  display,  self-interest,  and 
indulgence  in  the  conveniences  and  luxuries  of 


158  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

life,  and  parsimony,  which  is  notoriously  fruitful 
in  its  excuses,  would  suggest  various  pleas,  why 
he  should  contribute  sparingly  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel. 

Thus  far,  my  dear  friend,  I  have  endeavored 
to  point  out  some  of  the  difficulties  and  trials, 
with  which  the  Christian  has  to  contend  in  his 
profession,  growing  out  of  the  selfish  and  de- 
praved principles  of  his  own  heart.  This  is  his 
most  dangerous  enemy,  that  one  which  gives 
every  other  the  advantage.  To  this  enemy  the 
attention  of  Christians  is  not  sufficiently  directed. 
They  are  not  sufficiently  aware  of  his  power,  his 
deadly  hostility  to  the  soul,  and  to  the  honor 
and  service  of  Christ.  But  he  must  he  watched, 
resisted,  subdued,  or  we  shall  fail  both  in  the 
duties  of  our  profession  and  in  the  recompense 
of  the  reward. 

Truly  the  Christian  is  a  phenomenon,  which 
can  not  be  explained  to  the  world.  His  soul  is 
the  seat  of  grand  antagonisms,  and  the  theater 
of  a  mighty  conflict,  involving  the  interests  of 
eternity,  and  the  rival  claims  of  the  Sovereign 
of  the  universe  and  of  the  Prince  of  darkness. 


TRIALS   FROM   SELF.  159 

The  struggle  is  painful,  but  it  must  be  endured. 
If  it  be  not,  the  soul  will  inevitably  fall  the  easy 
and  hopeless  prey  of  the  Destroyer. 

In  my  next,  I  will  notice  some  trials  of  a  dif- 
ferent character. 

Yours, 


LET  TEE    Xir. 


THE  TRIALS  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

[  Concluded.  ] 

My  Dear  Friend: — 

We  have  seen  how,  in  maintaining  his  pro- 
fession, the  Christian  has  to  contend  with  self. 
But  there  are  other  sources  of  trial  and  diffi- 
culty. "  Christ  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  w^orld." 
The  world  in  its  attractions  and  interests,  its 
social  influences,  and  the  hatred  and  opposition 
of  its  people,  throws  many  obstacles  in  the'  path 
of  the  Christian  Profession. 

The  things  of  the  world  occasion  many  a  trial 
of  the  Christian's  faith,  and  cause  him  to  waver 
in  duty.  Often  its  cares  and  embarrassments 
pour  their  anguish  into  his  heart,  and  distract 


TRIALS   FROM   THE    WORLD.  161 

his  soul  with  vexing  thoughts.  Wealth,  fame^ 
power,  pleasure,  fashion,  present  themselves  with 
all  their  blandishments  and  charms,  and  strive 
to  divert  his  attention  from  the  invisible  world ; 
to  efface  from  his  mind  its  solemn  realities ;  to 
call  him  away  from  the  objects  of  faith,  to 
the  objects  of  sense ;  to  engross  his  mind  and 
heart;  to  dislodge  the  love  of  God  from  his 
soul,  and  enthrone  in  its  stead  the  love  of  the 
world;  to  turn  him  aside  from  the  great  duties 
of  Gospel  obedience,  and  cause  him  to  walk 
after  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the 
eye  and  the  pride  of  life.  Alas!  how  many 
have  been  prevented  from  making  the  Christ- 
ian profession ;  and  how  many,  when  they  have 
made  it,  have  failed  in  maintaining  it,  or 
even  turned  aside  from  the  holy  commandment 
delivered  unto  them,  through  the  influence  of 
business,  and  politics,  and  worldly  associations ! 
By  grasping  at  wealth  and  being  drawn  into 
the  vortex  of  speculation  and  trade — a  besetting 
evil  and  danger  of  the  age ;  by  aspiring  at  ofiice 
and  fame;  by  engaging  with  eagerness  in 
political  strife;  by  indulging  in  the  convivial- 


162  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

ities  of  tlie  jovial  board,  and  in  fashionable 
amusements,  whether  at  the  ball,  the  party,  the 
dinner-table,  the  theater,  or  the  country  frolic, 
they  have  encountered  temptations  which  have 
proved  too  strong  for  their  strength,  and  they 
have  fallen.  The  world  is  full  of  temptations 
on  every  hand ;  at  every  turn  it  displays  its 
lure,  adapted  to  every  temperament  and  taste ; 
and,  go  where  we  will,  it  makes  the  base  appeal 
to  our  passions  and  appetites.  How  continually 
should  the  Christian  be  on  his  guard!  How 
should  he  watch  and  pray,  that  he  enter  not 
into  temptation !  How  should  the  warning  be 
sounding  perpetually  in  his  ears,  "  Love  not  the 
world,  nor  the  things  of  the  world.  If  any  man 
love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of 
the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of 
life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  of  the  world.  And 
the  world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof, 
but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abide th  for- 
ever.'' ''  They  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temp- 
tation and  a  snare,  and  into  many  foolish  and 
hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruction 


TRIALS   FROM   THE   WORLD.  163 

and  perdition.  For  the  love  of  money  is  tlie 
root  of  all  evil ;  which  while  some  coveted  after, 
thej  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierced 
themselves  through  with  many  sorrows."  ''  The 
night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand ;  let  us 
therefore  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  let  us 
put  on  the  armor  of  light.  Let  us  walk  becom- 
ingly as  in  the  day ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunk- 
enness, not  in  chambering  and  wantonness,  not 
in  strife  and  envying.  But  put  ye  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not  provision  foi 
the  flesh,  to  fulfill  the  lusts  thereof.'' 

But  if  the  things  of  the  world  present  obsta- 
cles to  the  Christian  profession,  so  do  the  'people 
of  the  world ;  and  in  various  ways. 

Trials  to  his  profession  await  the  Christian, 
growing  out  of  the  very  ties  which  bind  him 
to  society.  Christians  are  appointed  by  Christ 
to  be  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and,  as  such,  they 
are  dispersed  through  the  social  mass.  The 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  the  friend- 
ship of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God ;  but  yet 
it  is  the  will  of  Grod,  that  his  people  should  be 
brought  into  contact  with  the  several  portions 


164  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

of  this  corrupt  mass,  by  the  divers  ties  and 
in  the  varied  intercourse  of  the  social  state. 
As  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children, 
brothers  and  sisters,  masters  and  servants,  asso- 
ciates in  business,  neighbors,  kinsmen,  fellow- 
citizens,  they  are  joined  together  and  mingled, 
often  in  the  closest  intimacies,  believers  with 
unbelievers.  And  this  cannot  be  avoided;  and, 
if  it  could,  an  important  end  would  be  defeated 
— Christians  would  cease  to  be  the  salt  of  the 
earth. 

But  though  thus  intimately  blended  with  the 
world  in  the  various  relations,  interests,  and 
pursuits  of  society,  the  profession  of  the  Chris- 
tian forbids  him  to  be  conformed  to  the  world 
in  any  of  its  moral  traits,  or  to  have  any 
fellowship  with  it  in  any  of  its  unfruitful  works 
of  darkness ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  makes  it 
his  duty,  both  by  precept  and  example,  to 
reprove  them.  Now,  here  is  a  trial.  First,  to 
resist  these  social  influences,  and  remain  unse- 
duced  by  the  numerous  and  powerful  tempta- 
tions which  they  present  to  conform  to  the 
world.     And,   second,   to  be  able,   not  only  to 


SOCIAL  TEMPTATIONS.  165 

withstand,  but  so  to  witlistaud,  as  to  be  ''the 
light  of  the  world,"  and  ''the  salt  of  the 
earth  ;  "  exerting  a  positive  and  effectual  moral 
influence  over  the  ungodly  with  whom  he  is 
connected.  And,  third,  to  have  moral  courage 
to  risk  the  ill-will  of  those  to  whom  he  may  be 
endeared  by  many  ties.  Experience  shows, 
that  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  keep  up  the 
intercourse  of  these  several  relationships,  and 
at  the  same  time  maintain,  without  abatement 
of  principle,  or  compliance  with  the  world,  the 
holy,  godly,  and  heavenly  deportment  of  the 
Christian.  And  also,  that  it  is  painfully  trying, 
by  a  course  of  unflinching  and  uncompromising 
firmness,  to  resist  the  wishes,  wound  the  feel- 
ings, and  procure  to  ourselves  the  coldness  and 
indifference — ^perhaps  the  ill-will  and  raillery — 
of  those  with  whom  we  are  closely  connected, 
and  are  under  the  necessity  of  daily  intercourse, 
whom  we  respect  and  love,  and  whose  friendship 
we  wish  to  enjoy. 

But  fidelity  on  the  part  of  the  Christian 
exposes  him  to  all  this. 

There  are  some  things  in  the  Christian  Pro- 


166  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

fession  which  the  world  esteems  and  admires — 
the  social  virtues.  He  that  in  these  things 
serveth  Christ,  is  not  only  acceptable  to  God, 
but  approved  of  men.  He  must  be  a  monster, 
who  can  condemn  or  hate  these  virtues.  But 
still  the  world  hates  the  Christian  profession  as 
such.  It  hates  it  as  a  whole,  for  the  hatred  it 
has  to  what  is  peculiar  in  it.  Every  attentive 
observer  of  men  and  things,  must  have  noticed 
the  fact,  that  the  Christian  gets  not  half  the 
credit  for  his  honesty  and  benevolence  which 
the  man  of  the  world  does.  The  same  virtue 
which  would  render  an  infidel  distinguished, 
will  leave  a  Christian  unnoticed  —  a  practical 
tribute  of  acknowledgment,  by  the  way,  to  the 
excellence  of  religion  ;  for  little  is  expected  of 
the  infidel,  and  when  he  happens  to  present  a 
virtuous  character,  it  attracts  our  notice.  But 
there  is  a  peculiar  willingness  in  the  world  to 
give  him  credit  for  his  virtues,  and  a  peculiar 
reluctance  to  give  the  Christian  credit  for  his ; 
and  a  great  readiness  to  give  him  full  credit 
for  all  his  faults.  Now,  the  reason  of  this  is 
obvious :  —  The    world    hates    the     Christian 


HATRED  AND  REPROACH  OF  THE  WORLD.  167 

Profession.  It  is  prejudiced  against  it  by  the 
antipathies  of  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity 
against  God;  and  men  are  always  reluctant  to 
accord  anything  virtuous  or  praiseworthy  to 
those  whom  they  hate,  or  against  whom  they 
are  prejudiced.  It  is  on  this  principle  that  you 
see  thousands  loud  in  the  praise  of  virtue,  yet 
making  a  mockery  of  godliness  and  piety. 
And,  on  this  principle,  the  vices  of  infidels  are 
concealed,  while  the  sins  of  professors  are  trum- 
peted with  an  air  of  triumph ;  and  the  virtues 
of  Christians  are  unnoticed,  while  those  of 
unbelievers  are  proclaimed  from  the  housetops. 
This  is  only  one  among  many  evidences,  that 
the  world  is  up  in  arms  of  rebellion  against 
God. 

By  the  profession  he  makes,  the  Christian 
declares  himself  on  God's  side ;  and  he  may 
expect  to  be  the  butt  of  the  world's  hostility. 
Christ  forewarned  his  disciples  of  this:  ''  In  the 
world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  f^  "  If  any  man 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  take  up  his  crossJ' 
The  cross  denotes  shame  and  pain,  reproach 
and   suffering,    for    the    sake    of    a    crucified 


168  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

Saviour.  He  who  professes  Christ,  not  expect- 
ing such  things,  will,  if  faithful  to  his  Master, 
he  grievously  disappointed.  And  he  that  is  not 
willing  to  meet  them,  is  not  fit  for  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

Sometimes  the  opposition  of  the  world  has 
more  power,  and  displays  more  fury  and  vio- 
lence, than  at  others;  hut  it  springs  from  the 
enmity  of  the  carnal  mind ;  and  Christians,  in 
every  age,  must  lay  out  their  accounts  to  meet 
it  in  one  form  or  other ;  if  not  in  the  form  of 
open  persecution,  yet  in  other  unmistakahle 
manifestations  of  hitter  dislike.  It  is  still  true, 
that  through  much  tribulation  ^Ye  must  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God — that  all  that  will  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  sufier  persecution — 
and  that,  if  we  were  of  the  world,  the  world 
would  love  its  own ;  and  because  we  are  not 
of  the  world,  hut  the  Saviour  has  chosen  us  out 
of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hates  us. 

Sometimes  unnecessary  opposition  is  pro- 
voked hy  imprudence.  Professors  of  religion 
sometimes,  and  even  good  men  sometimes,  have 
a  very  unlovely— nay,  a  repulsive  turn ;  and, 


HATRED  AND  REPROACH  OF  THE  WORLD.  169 

sometimes,  they  are  headlong  and  rash,  and  are 
sure  to  take  the  wrong  time,  as  well  as  the 
wrong  way,  of  doing  things.  Eeligion  is  cer- 
tainly not  chargeable  with  all  the  opposition 
such  men  have  to  encounter.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  much  of  the  quiet  which  professors  enjoy, 
is  owing  to  a  false  prudence,  and  a  dastardly, 
time-serving  inactivity.  They  will  not  disturb 
the  enemy.  There  is  a  lion  in  the  way,  and 
they  fear  to  rouse  him.  The  conscientious  and 
devoted  Christian,  who  will,  at  all  hazards,  do 
his  duty,  vindicating  truth,  and  exposing  error, 
standing  fast  to  the  commandment  of  his  God, 
reproving  sin,  restraining  vice,  and  laboring  to 
promote  a  living,  active  piety  in  all,  can  not 
escape  the  hatred,  though  he  may  command  the 
respect  of  the  ungodly. 

With  the  hatred  of  the  world,  the  Christian 
professor  may  expect  to  meet  its  reproach. 
His  motives  will  often  be  misconstrued,  and  his 
actions  misrepresented.  Men  will  catch  at  his 
halting,  and  exult  over  his  infirmities.  The 
infirmities  of  brethren  will  be  laid  at  his  door, 
and  laid  at  the  door  of  his  religion.  Should 
14 


170  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

he  fail  himself,  his  religion,  more  than  his 
failure,  will  be  his  reproach.  He  may  not 
exactly  hear  himself  called  a  hypocrite;  but 
he  daily  meets  with  those  who  affect  to  count 
all  religion  hypocrisy.  Should  the  Christian 
excel  in  virtuous  and  praiseworthy  deeds  — 
should  his  life  be  unimpeachable  ;  there  is  some 
other  way  of  accounting  for  it,  than  by  the 
influence  of  his  religion ;  and  it  is  very  saga- 
ciously suspected,  that  the  world  does  not  know 
all  about  the  man.  Thus  he  is  continually 
reminded  that  he  is  in  an  enemy's  country,  and 
that  he  lives  in  the  midst  of  those  that  hate  his 
Saviour.  The  reproaches  of  those  who  reproach 
his  Saviour  and  his  God  fall  on  him.  His  soul  is 
among  lions— among  them  that  are  set  on  fire ; 
even  the  sons  of  men,  whose  teeth  are  spears 
and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword. 

This  becomes  strikingly  apparent,  if  Chris- 
tians make  anything  like  a  decided  movement 
in  opposition  to  the  cherished  vices  of  the 
world.  Should,  for  example,  Christians  in  their 
place,  and  other  citizens  under  the  influence  of 
Christian    principles,  attempt    the   reformation 


OPPOSITION   FROM   FRIENDS.  171 

of  commuiiity  from  existing  evils,  siicli  as 
intemperance,  Sabbath-desecration,  or  profane 
swearing — should  they  endeavor  to  arrest  the 
career  of  a  nation's  wickedness,  and  save  it 
from  the  disorganizing  principles  of  a  lawless 
infidelity  and  an  unbridled  licentiousness,  and 
avert  the  wrathful  judgments  of  the  Governor 
of  the  universe  ;  they  are  charged  with  doing 
from  the  worst,  what  is  done  from  the  purest 
motives.  They  are  turning  the  world  upside 
down ;  uniting  Church  and  State ;  aiming  at 
the  subversion  of  the  liberties  of  the  people; 
striving  to  re-establish  the  dominion  of  priest- 
craft !  And  every  member  of  the  Church  who 
stands  up  to  his  work,  must  come  in  for  his 
share  of  the  reproach. 

Sometimes  the  Christian  has  to  encounter  the 
hatred  and  reproach  of  near  relatives  and  inti- 
mate friends,  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  This  is 
a  most  trying  cross.  The  hatred  and  reproach 
of  the  meanest  are  unpleasant.  To  a  mild  and 
pacific  spirit,  (and  such,  pre-eminently,  is  the 
Christian  spirit,)  the  ill-will  of  the  lowest  and 
remotest  of  the  human  race,  is  verv  undesirable ; 


172  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

but  wlien  it  comes  home  to  tlie  circle  of  our 
daily  intercourse  —  of  our  family  connection  — 
and  especially  of  our  domestic  group,  it  is  tor- 
turing, and  calculated  to  put  our  faith  to  the 
most  trying  test.  In  such  cases,  often,  not  only 
are  the  most  tender  affections  of  the  heart 
assailed,  but  the  opposition  is  fiercer,  more 
unrestrained,  and  more  implacable.  "  A  brother 
offended  is  harder  to  be  won  than  a  strong 
city.''  In  many  ages,  as  our  Saviour  foretold, 
the  brother  has  delivered  up  the  brother  to 
death,  and  the  father  the  child,  and  children 
their  parents.-  Though,  happily,  in  our  country, 
the  law  protects  from  violence,  and  scenes  of 
this  character  can  not  occur,  the  wrath  and 
objurgation  of  near  friends,  on  account  of 
religion,  have  to  be  met,  with  sufficient  frp 
quency  to  remind  us  that  the  law  of  Christ 
is  still  applicable  and  worthy  of  the  consider- 
ation of  his  disciples:  "  If  any  man  come  to  me, 
and  hate  not,  (that  is,  love  less  than  me,)  his 
father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also, 
he  can  not  be  my  disciple." 


TRIALS  FROM  BRETHREN  IN  THE  CHURCH.    173 

Sects  and  parties  in  the  Church ;  selfish, 
perverse,  contentious,  untractable  brethren ; 
brethren  prone  to  envy,  jealousy,  suspicion, 
evil-surmisings,  and  evil-speakings ;  brethren 
prone  to  anger,  and  subject  to  various  infirmi- 
ties and  unlovely  eccentricities,  are  also  a  source 
of  no  little  inconvenience  and  trial  to  the 
Christian  in  his  profession.  It  must  needs  be 
that  offenses  come.  There  necessarily  is  imper- 
fection in  the  Church,  and  with  that  imper- 
fection, much  that  is  annoying  and  trying. 
Besides  that  bad  men,  self-deceivers,  and  hypo- 
crites find  their  way  into  the  visible  Church, 
the  best  of  men  have  their  infirmities ;  and 
every  man  who  joins  the  Church,  however 
sincere  and  excellent,  should  bear  in  mind,  that 
whatever  good  he  may,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
bring  into  the  Church  with  him,  he  yet  con- 
tributes his  quota  to  the  common  stock  of 
infirmities  tlierein;  and  should  lay  out  his 
accounts  to  meet  with  trials  of  his  faith  and 
patience,  even  in  his  intercourse  with  those  who 
are  holy  brethren  and  partakers  of  the  heavenly 
calling.     And  in  the  trials  and  difficulties,  the 


174  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

contentions,  strifes,  and  divisions,  the  dishonors 
and  reverses  of  the  Church,  as  well  as  in  the 
backslidings,  falls,  and  apostasies  of  her  mem- 
bers, he  must  expect  to  take  a  painful  interest, 
and  meet  with  what  is  afflictive  and  grievous. 

The  Christian,  in  maintaining  his  profession, 
is  often  obliged,  by  a  sense  of  duty,  to  take  an 
unpopular  stand — not  only  unpopular  with  the 
world,  but  unpopular  with  brethren  of  a  time- 
serving and  worldly  spirit,  and  with  those,  (and 
they  are  a  very  large  portion  of  men  in  every 
community,)  who  do  not  take  the  trouble  to 
think,  but  passively  glide  on  in  the  current  of 
popular  opinion.  When  the  reflecting  Christian 
is  constrained  to  take  such  a  stand,  he  may 
expect  opposition,  not  only  from  the  world,  but 
from  brethren.  He  may  find  himself  misunder- 
stood and  misrepresented,  and  charged  with 
folly,  and  assailed  with  raillery,  sneers,  and 
reproaches,  by  brethren.  In  his  efforts  to  do 
good,  to  oppose  popular  errors,  and  fashionable 
sins,  and  sinful  amusements,  .or  to  awaken 
interest  and  to  rouse  to  action  in  some  import- 
ant enterprise — perhaps  of  vital  interest  to  the 


TEMPTATIONS   OF   SATAN.  I75 

Eedeemer's  cause — he  may  find  that  he  has  to 
contend  with  the  passions,  prejudices,  and  selfish 
interests  of  brethren,  as  well  as  of  other  men, 
and  to  deplore  that  he  is  bafiled  and  disap- 
pointed by  those  who  should  have  been  helpers. 
And,  covered  with  ill-will,  derision  and  abuse, 
grieved  and  vexed,  his  only  relief  may  be  in 
commending  his  cause  to  God,  under  the  testi- 
mony of  a  good  conscience,  and  the  assurance  of 
divine  approval. 

To  all  this  I  will  briefly  add,  that  the  Christ- 
ian, in  maintaining  his  profession,  has  to  contend 
with  the  temptations  of  Satan.  Many  will  tell 
you  with  a  sneer  and  a  look  of  superior  wisdom, 
that  there  is  no  Devil— no  tempter  but  a  man's 
own  heart.  But  they  have  never  learned  to 
talk  so  from  the  Bible.  How  will  such  explain 
Christ's  temptations,  who  had  no  sinful  heart  to 
tempt  him  ?  How  did  Christ,  consistently  with 
the  principle  that  there  is  no  personal  Devil, 
address  the  Jews  in  such  language  as  the  fol- 
lowing :  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  Devil ;  and 
the  works  of  your  father  ye  will  do.  He  was  a 
murderer  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in 


176  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

the  truth;  hecause  there  is  no  truth  in  him. 
When  he  speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own ; 
for  he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  it  ?'^  And  how 
do  the  apostles  tell  us  of  ''  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  ruleth  in  the 
children  of  disobedience"  —  "the  god  of  this 
world,  who  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that 
believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel 
of  God  should  shine  into  them  !"  How  do  they 
express  their  fears,  lest  "  Satan  should  get  the 
advantage' '  over  us  —  lest,  as  ''he  beguiled 
Eve  through  his  subtlety,  so  our  minds  should 
be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ" — and  their  hopes,  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
will  bruise  him  under  our  feet  shortly !  How 
do  they  warn,  "  Be  sober ;  be  vigilant ;  for  your 
adversary  the  Devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour !"  "  Put 
on  the  whole  armor  of  God — for  we  wrestle  not 
against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities 
and  powers — against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world — against  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places." 

No !    there  is  a  Devil,  and  that  devil  is  a 


TEMPTATIONS   OF   SATAN.  177 

tempter,  and  a  bitter  and  uncompromising 
enemy  to  the  Christian  profession — full  of 
devices,  powerful,  furious,  sleepless  and  un- 
tiring— and  supported  by  legions  as  malignant 
as  himself.  He  delights  to  assail  the  Christian 
with  his  fiery  darts.  He  avails  himself  of  all 
the  advantages  furnished  him  by  our  indwelling 
depravity,  and  by  all  that  is  tempting  and  en- 
snaring in  the  world.  He  takes  advantage  of 
our  circumstances,  and  of  surrounding  tempta- 
tions, to  excite  our  appetites  and  inflame  our 
passions.  He  suggests  impure,  debasing,  blas- 
phemous thoughts,  skeptical  doubts,  rebellious 
feelings.  He  strives  to  draw  away  and  distract 
the  mind  in  devotional  exercises ;  to  stir  up 
doubts  and  fears,  awaken  dreadful  apprehen- 
sions, and  lead  us  to  despair ;  and  at  other  times 
prompts  to  pride,  self-righteousness,  self-wisdom, 
self-sufficiency,  and  carnal  security.  He  often 
suggests  low  thoughts  of  God ;  hard  thoughts 
of  his  providence;  mistrust  in  his  Word,  and 
objections  to  its  truths  ;  many  sinful  expedients  ; 
worldly,  carnal,  vexing  and  distracting  thoughts ; 

and  even,    at  times,   desperate    purposes.      He 
15 


178  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

is  the  more  dangerous  enemy,  because  un- 
seen ;  and  never  is  lie  better  pleased  tban  when 
he  gets  men  to  deny  his  existence  and  influence. 
He  seeks  the  ruin  of  all  men,  but  he  owes  a 
grudge  to  every  man  who  openly  espouses  the 
cause  of  Christ  —  and  will  throw  all  possible 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  his  profession. 

My  friend,  in  reviewing  the  duties  and  trials 
of  this  profession,  you  may  be  ready  to  exclaim, 
''  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?"  But  let  me 
direct  you  to  the  assurance  of  the  Saviour,  "  My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee ;  for  my  strength  is 
made  perfect  in  weakness."  Take  the  Lord 
Jesus  at  his  word.  Be  encouraged  to  enter  and 
continue  the  conflict.  Be  strong  in  the  grace 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  will  support  and 
reward  you.  If  you  suffer  with  him,  you  shall 
also  reign  with  him.  Know  whom  you  have 
believed,  and  cherish  the  persuasion  that  he  is 
able  to  keep  that  which  you  have  committed  to 
him,  to  that  day. 

But  rest  not  in  an  inactive  profession;  one 
which  is  attended  with  no  trials,  no  difficulties, 
no  conflicts;  one  in  which  the  professor  is  at 


NO   KEASON   EOR   DESPONDING.  179 

ease  in  Zion.     Oh  !    liow  did  the  Apostle  weep 

over  such !    "  For  many  walk,  of  whom  I  have 

told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping, 

that  they  are  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ ; 

whose   end  is    destruction,  whose  god  is   their 

belly,  and  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who 

mind  earthly  things."     To  be  carnally-minded 

is  death  !     He  that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of 

the  flesh  reap  corruption. 

In  my  next,  I  will  endeavor  to  guide  your 

mind  to  the  supports  and  consolations  of  this 

profession. 

Yours, 


LETTER    XIII. 


THE  SUPPORTS  AND  CONSOLATIONS  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

My  Dear  Fkiend: — 

The  Christian  Profession  has  its  trials,  but  it 
also  has  its  blessedness.  It  has  its  labors,  its 
toils,  its  conflicts ;  but  it  has  also  its  rest.  It 
has  its  cross ;  but  it  has  also  its  crown.  That 
Saviour  who  so  honestly  warned  the  multitudes 
of  self-denial,  and  hardship,  and  suffering,  in 
his  service,  encouraged  them  also  with  the  most 
affectionate  assurances  of  rest  and  peace :  "  Gome 
unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon 
you,  and  learn  of  me  ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls ; 
for  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light." 


SUPPORTS   AND  CONSOLATIONS.  181 

But  it  is  not  a  merely  nominal  profession  to 
which  this  promise  is  given ;  but  a  profession, 
which  proceeds  from  a  true  and  living  faith — 
that  faith  which  really  comes  to  Christ  as  a 
Saviour,  teaches  us  our  obligations  to  him,  works 
by  love,  purifies  the  heart,  and  overcomes  the 
world,  and  leads  us  to  conduct  ourselves  as  the 
disciples  and  subjects  of  the  Eedeemer. 

This  is  the  profession  of  whose  duties,  neces- 
sity and  trials,  I  have  treated  ;  and  there  is  no 
true  consolation  in  any  other. 

The  word  of  God  speaks  not  one  word  of  peace 
to  the  merely  nominal  professor.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  denounces  his  way  as  hard,  and  pro- 
claims his  end  destruction :  "  Tremble,  ye 
women  that  are  at  ease  ;  be  troubled,  ye  careless 
ones ;  strip  ye,  and  make  ye  bare,  and  gird  sack- 
cloth upon  your  loins.''  "  Woe  to  them  that  are 
at  ease  in  Zion  !''  "  Wherefore  the  Lord  said. 
Forasmuch  as  this  people  draw  near  me  with 
the  mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honor  me,  but 
have  removed  their  hearts  from  me,  and  their 
fear  toward  me  is  taught  by  the  precept  of 
men;  therefore,  behold  I  will  proceed  to  do  a 


182  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

marvelous  work  among  this  people,  a  marvel- 
lous work  and  a  wonder."  It  is  a  marvelous 
work  and  a  wonder  in  tlie  way  of  judgment. 
The  wrath  of  God  will  be  insupportable  on  all 
impenitent  sinners  ;  but  it  will  be  tremendously 
so  on  hypocritical  and  false  professors.  In- 
somuch that  amid  all  the  displays  of  his  omnip- 
otent vengeance,  their  destruction  will  excite  the 
astonishment  of  the  wonder-stricken  universe. 
God's  providential  government  of  the  world  por- 
tends as  much.  On  no  nation  did  he  pour  such 
terrible  wrath  for  their  sins  as  he  did  on  his 
covenant  people.  It  would  seem  from  the  words 
of  the  Saviour,  that  there  is  a  special  place  in 
hell  for  the  torment  of  hypocrites :  *'  The  Lord 
of  that  servant,  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and 
appoint  him  his  portion  with  hypocrites ;  there 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.'' 

The  Christian  Profession  is  regarded  by  many 
as  a  gloomy  thing — a  tissue  of  awful  duties,  and 
disagreeable  self-denials,  and  somber  thoughts, 
and  doleful  feelings,  without  any  enjoyment. 
And  it  is  true,  that  it  has  its  solemn  duties  and 
responsibilities,  its  self-denials  disagreeable  to 


SENSE  OF   ACCEPTANCE   WITH  GOD.  183 

flesh  and  blood,  and  its  serious  thoughts  and 
feelings  ;  but  it  has  also  its  consolations  and  its 
blessedness  —  consolations  and  a  blessedness  in- 
conceivably superior  to  those  of  earth.  In  wear- 
ing the  Saviour's  3^oke  a  man  finds  rest  —  rest 
to  his  soul. 

I  wish  now  to  place  before  you  some  of  these 
considerations,  which  support  and  console  the 
Christian,  and  render  him  happy,  amidst  all  the 
toils  and  trials  of  his  profession. 

I.  And  here  I  would  name  first.  The  evidence 
which  his  profession  gives  of  his  acceptance  in 
Christ  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto 
righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth  confession  is 
made  unto  salvation.  Men  may  falsely  profess 
religion,  yet  it  is  only  in  the  way  of  making 
this  profession  that  they  can  have  evidence  of 
their  acceptance  in  Christ.  In  no  other  way  can 
they  have  evidence  that  their  faith  and  repent- 
ance are  sincere.  While  they  neglect  this  pro- 
fession, the  question  of  their  union  to  Christ, 
and  of  their  being  partakers  of  his  saving  grace, 
must  at  least  be  involved  in  doubt,  if  not  abso- 
lutely decided  in  the  negative.     But  when  a 


184  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

man  sincerely  makes  this  profession,  he  adopts 
the  very  means  which  the  Saviour  appoints  to 
attest  the  sincerity  of  his  faith  and  the  reality 
of  his  union  to  himself.  He  thereby  publicly 
and  formally  identifies  himself  with  the  Lord 
Jesus  as  his  Saviour  and  King  —  publicly  and 
solemnly  joins  himself  to  the  Lord  in  a  covenant 
well-ordered  in  all  things  and  sure,  and  that 
shall  never  be  broken  nor  forgotten.  The  bap- 
tism he  receives  is  "  unto  him  a  sign  and  seal  of 
the  covenant  of  grace  —  of  his  ingrafting  into 
Christ  —  of  regeneration,  of  remission  of  sins, 
and  of  his  giving  up  unto  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  to  walk  in  newness  of  life."  The  bread 
and  the  wine  —  the  communion  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Saviour  —  are  a  seal  of  the  bene- 
fits of  his  sacrifice  to  his  spiritual  nourishment 
and  growth  in  grace,  and  a  bond  and  pledge  of 
communion  with  the  Saviour.  In  the  very  act, 
he  engages  to  be  the  Lord's,  gives  himself  away 
to  the  Saviour,  feeds  upon  him  by  faith,  lays 
hold  on  his  righteousness  and  grace,  on  pardon 
and  eternal  life ;  and  doing  so,  he  experiences 
the  blessedness  of  the  man  whose  iniquity  is 


SENSE   OF  ACCEPTANCE  WITH   GOD.         185 

pardoned  and  whose  sin  is  covered  —  finds  peace 
with  God,  ohtains  holdness  of  access,  has  the 
testimony  of  the  Spirit  hearing  witness  with  his 
spirit  that  he  is  horn  again,  and  rejoices  in  hope 
of  the  glory  of  God.  A  feeling  of  identifica- 
tion with  the  Saviour  takes  possession  of  his 
soul,  he  is  in  a  new  world,  has  taken  citizenship 
in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  memhership 
in  the  family  of  God ;  he  stands  in  new  rela- 
tions to  God,  and  to  the  universe  —  all  things 
are  his,  and  he  is  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's. 

This  sense  of  acceptance  and  hope  of  salvation 
in  Christ,  which  attends  a  puhlic  consecration  of 
oneself  to  the  Saviour,  the  true  Christian  would 
not  exchange  for  ten  thousand  worlds.  As  a 
formal  question,  he  may  not  he  ahle  to  decide 
the  matter  of  his  acceptance  as  a  thing  past  all 
douht  and  peradventure,  yet  in  the  very  sealing 
of  his  faith  hy  his  profession,  there  is  the  peace 
and  joy  of  believing  —  a  peace  that  passeth  all 
understanding,  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory. 

To  this  peace  and  joy  the  man  who  refuses  to 
confess  Christ  must  forever  remain  a  stranger. 


186  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

II.  The  authority  and  approval  of  God,  the 
very  nature  of  the  duties  implied,  and  the  claims 
and  love  of  the  Saviour,  make  the  Christian 
Profession  a  reasonable  and  delightful  service. 

The  Christian  in  this  profession  only  takes 
upon  him  a  yoke  which  he  can  not  refuse  with- 
out the  greatest  guilt,  and  submits  to  a  Friend 
whose  sovereignty  he  can  not  reject  without  the 
blackest  ingratitude.  He  pursues  a  course  in 
which  he  will  most  certainly  meet  with  the 
divine  approval,  and  out  of  which  he  would  just 
as  certainly  incur  the  divine  wrath.  God  has 
said  of  his  Son,  "  I  have  set  my  King  upon  my 
holy  hill  of  Zion  ;  '^  and  the  decree  is  gone  forth 
that  "  every  knee  shall  bow  to  Him,  and  every 
tongue  shall  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord, 
to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father  ;  "  and  with  the 
decree  goes  forth  the  proclamation,  "  Kiss  ye 
the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry  and  ye  perish  from  the 
way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.'' 
The  Father  considers  himself  dishonored  by 
every  refusal  to  do  homage  to  his  Son  ;  and 
whoso  refuses  to  obey  and  serve  him  —  be  it 
nation,  kingdom,  or  individual  —  shall  perish. 


FEELING   IT   A   REASONABLE   SERVICE.      187 

God  can  easily  render  happy  those  who  submit, 
and  miserable  those  who  do  not. 

Nothing  can  be  more  reasonable  than  the 
requirements  of  the  Christian  Profession.  The 
law  of  Christ  our  King  is  just  the  law  of  our 
Maker,  "holy,  just  and  good"  —  founded  in 
our  relations  and  adapted  to  the  constitution  of 
our  natures  —  suited  to  our  new  circumstances 
as  under  a  dispensation  of  mercy,  and  enforced 
by  delightful  sanctions.  What  does  He  require 
of  us  but  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our 
heart,  and  soul,  and  mind,  and  strength,  and  to 
love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves  ?  What,  but  to 
do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with 
our  God  ?  It  is  true  that  he  requires  of  all  his 
subjects  repentance  for  all  their  sins.  But,  is 
not  this  a  reasonable  service,  due  from  offending 
creatures  to  their  Creator,  and  is  it  not  implied 
in  their  return  to  obedience  ?  He  also  requires 
of  them  an  habitual  and  implicit  confidence  in 
himself,  as  the  Captain  of  their  Salvation,  and 
a  humble  reliance  on  his  merits  and  grace.  But 
does  he  not  deserve  this  confidence  ?  Can  any- 
thing be  more  reasonable  than  that  creatures 


188  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

destitute  of  merit  and  resources  of  their  own 
should  rely  on  the  merits  and  grace  of  a  surety 
and  a  Saviour  so  worthy  and  so  mighty  ?  And 
should  they  not  count  it  a  privilege,  an  acknow- 
ledgment, and  a  service,  to  be  rendered  with 
gratitude  and  joy?  He  requires  of  his  subjects 
to  exercise  the  mild  and  placid  virtues  of  love, 
good-will,  kindness,  compassion,  meekness,  gen- 
tleness, forbearance  and  forgiveness.  And  is 
there  not  a  blissfulness  in  the  very  play  of  these 
affections,  in  witnessing  their  benign  effects,  and 
in  receiving  back  the  grateful  reciprocations  of 
them  from  our  fellow  men  ?  while  the  very 
exercise,  and  effects,  and  returns  of  the  contrary 
passions  —  fierce,  turbulent,  and  malign  —  are 
a  spring  of  inward  torture  and  anguish.  Christ 
also  requires  us  to  set  our  affections  on  things 
above  and  not  on  things  beneath,  and  to  lay  up 
our  treasures  in  heaven.  And  do  they  not  pos- 
sess a  decided  advantage,  who  are  thus  elevated 
above  the  reach  of  earthly  calamities  ?  He  also 
enjoins  us  to  keep  his  ordinances,  and  wait  upon 
him  in  reading  and  hearing  his  word,  in  prayer 
and  the  sacraments.     But  these  are  the  means 


CONSTRAINING  POWER  OF  LOVE  OF  CHRIST.  189 

which  he  uses  to  bless  his  subjects,  and  to  per- 
fect and  prepare  them  for  heaven,  by  rendering 
them  conformable  to  that  just,  holy  and  good 
law,  to  which  all  should  be  subject  and  by 
which  all  shall  be  judged. 

But  when  we  consider  what  the  King  of  Zion 
is  to  his  subjects ;  what  he  has  done  and  is 
doing  for  them ;  the  obligations  under  which  he 
lays  them,  the  claims  he  has  on  their  love  and 
obedience,  verily  his  commandments  cannot  be 
grievous.  His  yoke  is  lined  with  love.  It  is 
the  government  of  our  best  friend :  that  friend 
who  died  for  us — the  just  for  the  unjust — that 
he  might  bring  us  to  God.  His  love  may  well 
constrain  our  obedience,  and  his  mercies  prompt 
us  to  present  our  bodies,  willingly,  a  living  sac- 
rifice. The  love  that  prompted  him  to  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  subjects,  prompts  him  to  stand 
by  and  sustain  them  in  all  their  duties  and 
trials,  and,  in  the  end,  crown  them  with  a  great 
reward.  We  serve  a  benefactor  with  pleasure, 
and  it  is  a  gratification  to  do  for  him  what 
would  be  even  a  burden  if  done  for  another. 
But  such  a  benefactor !     Can  his  yoke  be  any- 


190  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

thing  else  but  easy ;  and  his  burden  anything 
else  but  light ! 

III.  The  trials  of  the  Christian  Profession, 
which  render  it  so  formidable  to  flesh  and  blood, 
are  in  reality,  after  all,  light,  short,  honorable, 
and  in  their  issue,  glorious. 

They  are  light  in  comparison  with  what  the 
Saviour  has  endured  for  his  people,  and  with  the 
weight  of  glory  which  they  are  to  receive ;  and 
light,  in  comparison  with  what  they  deserve 
and  with  what  they  shall  bear,  if  they  refuse 
his  service.  What  are  inward  conflicts,  what 
are  temptations,  reproaches  and  persecutions — 
counterbalanced  as  they  are  with  the  favor  and 
peace  of  God — in  comparison  with  the  horrors 
of  that  state  where  God  has  cast  oiff  forever,  and 
clean  forgotten  to  be  gracious,  and  in  the  heat 
of  his  wrath  has  shut  up  his  tender  mercies? 

These  trials  are  short,  in  comparison  with  that 
endless  woe  that  awaits  the  enemies  of  Jesus, 
and  with  that  eternal  happiness,  which  is  held 
in  reversion  for  those  who  serve  him  and  suffer 
for  his  sake.  "  These  light  afflictions  are  but  for 
a  moment " — "  and  the  suffering  of  this  present 


TRIALS  HONORABLE  AND  REWARDED.        191 

time  is  not  worthy  to  be   compared   witli  the 
glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us." 

These  trials  are  honorable.  Suffering  for 
Christ's  sake,  we  suffer  in  the  best  cause  and  in 
the  best  company ;  the  cause  of  truth,  and 
holiness,  and  mercy ;  a  cause  deeply  interesting 
to  the  rational  universe,  dear  to  the  heart  of 
God,  and  intimately  connected  with  the  glory  of 
his  great  name.  The  company  in  which  we 
suffer,  is  that  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  the  chief 
and  the  brightest  of  martyrs,  and  that  of  holy 
apostles  and  prophets,  and  myriads  of  others,  of 
whom  the  world  waj^not  worthy.  It  is  an  honor 
and  a  joy  to  suffer  with  such;  "  Blessed  are  ye," 
says  the  Saviour,  "  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men 
shall  revile  you  and  persecute  you,  and  shall 
say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  for 
my  sake !  Eejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad ;  for 
so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which  were 
before  you." 

These  trials  are  glorious  in  their  issue.  If 
we  suffer  with  Jesus,  we  shall  reign  with  him. 
He  pronounces  all  his  suffering  servants  blessed, 
and  exhorts  them  to  rejoice  and  be  exceeding 


192  THE  CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

glad,  for  great  is  their  reward  in  heaven.  "Be 
faithful  unto  the  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a 
crown  of  life !"  "  Our  light  afflictions,  which 
endure  but  for  a  moment,  work  out  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 
Follow  the  tempted,  suftering,  reproached  and 
persecuted  subjects  of  Christ  into  the  eternal 
world ;  compare  their  condition  there  with  their 
present  circumstances,  and  with  the  wretched 
state  of  those  who  have  rejected  the  yoke  of 
Jesus ;  and  stumble  no  longer  at  the  trials  of 
the  Christian  Profession.  "  What  are  these  which 
are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ?  and  whence  came 
they  ?  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and 
have  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, 
and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple ; 
and  He  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell 
among  them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more, 
neither  thirst  any  more  ;  neither  shall  the  sun 
light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed 
them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 


FUTURE  REWARD.  193 

of  waters ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes.'^ 

With  this  view  of  the  comparative  lightness, 
short  continuance,  honorableness,  and  glorious 
issue  of  the  trials  of  his  profession,  the  Christian 
may  well  "gird  up  the  loins  of  his  mind,  and 
be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace 
which  shall  be  brought  unto  him  at  the  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ." 

My  friend,  with  these  considerations  I  leave 
you  for  the  present,  hoping  in  my  next  to  pre- 
sent you  others  no  less  encouraging.  In  the 
me^n  time  weigh  those  presented,  prayerfully ; 
and  if  you  have  never  yet  taken  upon  you  the 
yoke  of  Jesus,  be  encouraged  to  take  it ;  and  if 
you  have,  be  emboldened  in  your  profession. 

Yours, 


16 


LETTEK  XIY 


THE  SUPPORTS  AND   CONSOLATIONS  OF   THE 
CHRISTIAN  PROFESSION. 

[Conclusion.] 

My  Deak  Fkiend: —  • 

It  was  no  vain  assurance  wliicli  Jesus  gave, 
when  he  said,  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and 
learn  of  me;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls;  for  my  yoke  is  easy  and  my  burden  is 
light."  In  my  last  your  attention  was  turned 
to  several  considerations,  showing,  that  the  yoke 
of  Jesus  is  easy,  and  his  burden  light.  In  this 
Letter  I  shall  present  a  few  additional  consider- 
ations on  this  point,  and  then  close  the  whole 
subject  of  these  Letters.     And, 

IV.  My  fourth  consideration  is,  That  the  true 


ASSURANCE  OF  SUPPORT.  195 

follower  of  Christ,  has  the  assurance  of  support 
in  all  his  duties  and  trials,  so  that  he  shall  be 
enabled  to  perform  the  one  with  acceptance,  and 
endure  the  other  with  triumph.  The  assurance 
of  success  renders  the  most  difficult  undertak- 
ings easy,  and  the  most  weighty  burdens  light. 
It  matters  not  how  arduous  our  duties,  if  our 
strength  be  adequate  for  them.  It  matters  not 
what  our  Master  lays  upon  us,  if  he  makes  us 
able  to  bear  it ;  nor  what  our  difficulties  and 
trials;  if  He  go  along  with  us,  and  help  and 
strengthen,  and  defend  and  uphold  us,  and  never 
leave  nor  forsake  us  until  we  get  safely  and 
honorably  through.  Nay,  the  greater  the  labor 
and  the  more  severe  the  trial,  and  the  more 
formidable  the  danger ;  the  more  honorable  the 
success,  the  nobler  the  triumph,  and  the  sweeter 
the  rest.  Hence,  every  generous  mind  loves 
great  and  difficult  undertakings,  where  there  is 
a  probability  of  success ;  and  the  mind  loves  to 
dwell  on,  and  the  tongue  to  recite,  whatever  in 
labor  and  suffering  was  great  and  painful. 

Well,  the  King  of  Zion  calls  his  subjects  to 
difficult  duties  and  painful  trials,  in  subduing 


196  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

the  flesh,  the  devil,  and  the  world.  But  his 
grace  is  sufficient  for  them,  and  his  strength  is 
made  perfect  in  their  weakness.  He  never 
leaves  them  nor  forsakes  them.  He  vouchsafes 
his  presence  to  cheer  and  animate  them,  and 
his  assistance  to  strengthen  and  uphold.  As 
their  day,  so  shall  their  strength  be.  His  lan- 
guage is,  "  Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with  thee ; 
be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God.  I  will 
strengthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will  help  thee  ;  yea,  I 
will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my 
righteousness."  Then  is  it  their  privilege  to  be 
strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 
Their  faith  and  their  cause  link  them  in  with 
Omnipotence,  and  enable  them  to  draw  on  its 
resources.  They  can  say,  "  Our  help  is  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  who  made  heaven  and  earth." 
They  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who 
strengthened  them.  If  pressed  down  by  the 
weight  of  their  afflictions  and  labors,  they  can 
hear  him  saying,  "  Cast  thy  burden  on  the  Lord  ; 
he  shall  sustain  thee."  If  dispirited  by  their 
weakness  or  fewness,  their  despised  and  forsaken 
lot,  or  their  apparent  want  of  success,  he  is  near, 


ASSURANCE   OF   SUPPORT  —  PROMISES.      197 

and  says,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always  —  I  am 
in  the  midst  of  you  to  bless  you.'^  If,  under  the 
annoying  presence  and  distressing  prevalence 
of  indwelling  sin,  they  are  ready  to  cry,  like 
one  chained  to  a  dead  body,  "  0  wretched  man 
that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death  ?  '^  —  the  assurance  of  deliverance 
enables  them  to  shout,  ''  Thanks  unto  God  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  through  Jesus  Christ ! " 

In  the  face  of  infirmities,  reproaches,  necessi- 
ties, persecutions  and  distresses  for  Christ's  sake, 
they  can  say,  "  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  God ;  I  will  make  mention  of  thy  righteous- 
ness, even  of  thine  only/'  And  passing  through 
them,  though  forsaken  by  earthly  friends,  and 
stripped  of  earthly  resources,  still  may  they  sing, 
"  Nevertheless,  I  am  continually  with  thee  ; 
thou  boldest  me  by  the  right  hand;  I  shall 
never  be  moved  ;  thou  wilt  guide  me  by  thy 
counsel,  and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory. 
Though  I  fall,  I  shall  arise  ;  though  I  sit  in 
darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me. 
Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  and  shadow 
of  death,   I  will  fear    no    evil ;    for   thou    art 


198  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

with  me  ;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff,  they  comfort 
me." 

The  Lord  Jesus  proportions  his  consolations 
and  strength  to  the  trials  and  labors  of  his  sub- 
jects. "  As  the  sufferings  of  Christ  abound  in 
us,  so  our  consolation  aboundeth  by  Christ.'' 

In  consideration  of  this  support,  what  is  there 
to  hinder  any  subject  of  Zion's  King  from  say- 
ing with  the  apostle,  "  Most  gladly,  therefore, 
will  I  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of 
Christ  may  rest  upon  me.  Therefore,  I  take 
pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  neces- 
sities, in  persecutions,  in  distresses  for  Christ's 
sake  ;  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong." 

V.  Being  found  in  the  way  of  Christ's  com- 
mandments and  ordinances,  and  honestly  en- 
deavoring to  keep  them  —  and  being,  at  the 
same  time,  a  subject  of  his  kingdom,  and  a 
member  of  the  household  of  faith,  the  profess- 
ing Christian  has  a  right  to  the  privileges  and 
blessings  of  that  kingdom  and  household  —  a 
most  perfect  and  absolute  claim  on  the  fulfill- 
ment of  all  Christ's  promises,  and  is  warranted 
to  put  in  that  claim  with  boldness  at  a  throne 


CONFIDENCE  IN  PLEADING  THE  PROMISES.  199 

of  grace.  The  privilege  of  drawing  near,  in 
every  situation,  to  a  prayer-hearing  God,  with 
the  hope  and  assurance  of  being  answered  in 
mercy  and  grace,  is  a  privilege  full  of  comfort 
and  relief.  But  that  man  can  not  do  so  with- 
out presumption,  who  endeavors  not  to  walk  in 
all  the  ordinances  and  commandments  of  God 
blameless.  Oh  !  it  was  a  solemn  and  a  fearful 
truth  uttered  by  the  Psalmist,  when  he  said, 
"  If  I  regard  sin  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not 
hear  me."  That  man  who  draws  near  to  our 
holy  Lord  God,  allowing  himself  in  any  one 
known  sin,  or  in  the  neglect  of  any  one  known 
duty,  is  a  mocking  hypocrite.  He  must  be  sadly 
deceived,  if  his  own  conscience  does  not  condemn 
him  ;  and  he  certainly  can  not  plead  the  pro- 
mises in  the  assurance  of  faith.  Secret  misgiv- 
ings will  intrude  in  his  presumptuous  approaches ; 
and  terrible  is  the  thought,  that,  if  a  man's  own 
heart  condemn  him,  God  is  greater  than  his 
heart,  and  knoweth  all  things. 

It  is  then  an  obvious  truth,  that  that  man 
takes  an  unwarranted  freedom,  who  asks  for 
the  blessings,  the  help,  the  support  and  pro- 


200  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

tection  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  household,  who 
at  the  same  time  refuses  to  take  his  yoke  upon 
him  and  to  submit  to  the  government  of  his 
house  and  kingdom.  It  is  daring  presumption, 
as  well  as  a  gross  inconsistency,  for  him  to  say 
to  the  world  by  his  conduct,  "  I  am  not  of 
Christ's  family  and  kingdom  "  and  yet  ask  of 
God  the  privileges  and  blessings  which  belong 
exclusively  to  that  kingdom  and  family,  and  are 
promised  only  to  its  members. 

But  the  honest  Christian  professor  belongs  to 
this  kingdom  and  family.  He  is  the  very  man 
who  does  not  regard  sin  in  his  heart,  but  who 
strives  to  walk  in  all  the  ordinances  of  God 
blameless  —  the  very  man  to  whom  the  pro- 
mises are  made,  and  who  can  draw  near  with  a 
true  heart  and  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith, 
with  pure  conscience  and  clean  hands,  whose 
prayer  the  Lord  will  not  turn  away,  and  from 
whom  he  will  withhold  no  good  thing.  His  is 
all  the  blessedness  of  the  privilege  which  the 
apostle  sets  forth  in  the  following  words  :  "  See- 
ing then  that  we  have  so  great  a  High-priest, 
that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  Son 


PRAYER  —  GLORIATION   IN  GOD.  201 

of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profession.  For  we 
have  not  an  high-priest  which  can  not  he  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  hut  was  in 
all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin.  Let  us  therefore  come  holdly  unto  the 
throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  ohtain  mercy,  and 
find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.''  Here  the 
Christian  may  dismiss  all  his  anxieties,  and 
forget  all  his  afflictions  and  trouhles,  and  trust- 
ing in  God,  commit  to  him  his  way,  and  cast  on 
him  the  whole  hurden  of  his  cares.  "  My  times 
are  in  thy  hand.''  ''  What  time  I  am  afraid  I 
will  trust  in  thee.  In  God  I  will  praise  his 
word ;  in  God  I  have  put  my  trust ;  I  will  not 
fear  what  flesh  can  do  to  me."  "  Thou  art 
my  hiding-place  ;  thou  shalt  preserve  me  from 
trouhle ;  thou  shalt  compass  me  about  with 
songs  of  deliverance."  "  For  this  shall  every 
one  that  is  godly  pray  unto  thee  in  a  time  when 
thou  mayest  be  found  ;  surely  in  the  floods  of 
great  waters,  they  shall  not  come  nigh  unto 
him."  "  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very 
present  help  in  trouble.  Therefore  will  not  we 
fear,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though 
17 


202  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

tlie  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea ;  though  the  waters  thereof  roar  and  be 
troubled,  though  the  mountains  shake  with  the 
swelling  thereof.  There  is  a  river,  the  streams 
whereof  make  glad  the  city  of  our  God,  the 
holy  place  of  the  tabernacles  of  the  Most  High. 
God  is  in  the  midst  of  her ;  she  shall  not  be 
moved ;  God  shall  help  her,  aiid  that  right 
early.^^  "  Be  careful  for  nothing,  but  in  all 
things  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanks- 
giving, let  your  requests  be  made  known  to 
God ;  and  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all 
understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds 
throuo'h  Christ  Jesus." 

Finally ;  the  result — the  combined  effect — of 
all  that  is  embraced  in  the  Christian  Profession, 
is,  in  many  ways,  peace  and  blessedness.  This 
is  evidently  taught  by  the  Saviour  when  he 
said,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you;  my  peace  I  give 
unto  you:  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto 
you.  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither 
let  it  be  afraid."  Mark  to  whom  the  Saviour 
made  this  promise:  it  was  to  his  disciples. 
Mark,   also,  the  conditions  on  which  it  rests. 


THE   saviour's  PEACE.  203 

They  are  presented  in  wliat  our  Saviour  had 
said  immediately  before :  "He  that  hath  my 
commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  me;  and  he  that  loveth  me,  shall  be 
loved  of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and 
will  manifest  myself  to  him.  If  a  man  love 
me,  he  will  keep  my  words ;  and  my  Father 
will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him,  and 
make  our  abode  with  him.  He  that  loveth  me 
not,  keepeth  not  my  sayings.^'  It  is,  then,  to 
the  disciple  of  Jesus — the  man  that  loves  him 
and  keeps  his  commandments — that  this  peace 
is  promised ;  and  it  flows  from  the  keeping  of 
the  Saviour's  words,  or  rather,  from  that  fellow- 
ship with  the  Father,  and  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
which  is  enjoyed  in  and  through  the  keeping 
of  the  Saviour's  words.  "  As  many  as  walk 
according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on  them,  and 
mercy;  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.'' 

In  the  very  act  of  affectionately  obeying 
Christ,  and  confessing  his  name,  and  wearing 
his  yoke  —  in  the  very  performance  of  the 
duties  and  exercise  of  the  graces  of  this  pro- 
fession— in  that  sense  of  acceptance,  and  that 


204  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

experience  of  divine  supports,  which  the  Chris- 
tian enjoys — in  that  pleading  of  the  promises, 
and  that  waiting  upon  God  in  the  ordinances  of 
his  grace — that  diligent  pursuit  of  holiness — 
those  outgoings  of  the  affections  to  God — that 
careful  ohservance  of  his  law — that  practice  of 
righteousness — that  walking  with  God — that 
growth  in  grace — those  lahors  of  love,  and  that 
patience  of  hope:  in  all  these  things  is  peace; 
peace  with  God ;  peace  of  conscience ;  peace  in 
all  the  feelings  of  the  soul;  peace  in  the  con- 
cerns and  relations  of  life ;  the  peace  of  assu- 
rance, and  hope,  and  joy.  ''  The  work  of 
righteousness  is  peace ;  and  the  effect  of  right- 
eousness, quietness  and  assurance  forever.  ^^  It 
is  in  the  exercise  of  the  graces,  and  in  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties  of  the  Christian  profes- 
fession,  that  "  the  spirit  heareth  witness  with 
our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God. 
And,  if  children,  then  heirs ;  heirs  of  God,  and 
joint  heirs  with  Christ !''  It  is  in  the  exercise 
of  these  graces,  and  the  performance  of  these 
duties,  that  the  Christian  can  look  with  con- 
tempt  on    the   reproaches,    misrepresentations, 


PEACE  —  HOPE  —  ASSURANCE.  205 

and  impugnings  of  men,  and  say,  "  My  rejoicing 
is  this :  the  testimony  of  my  conscience,  that  in 
simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with  fleshly 
wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  have  my 
conversation  in  the  world/' 

And  while  the  Christian  conscientiously  wears 
the  Eedeemer's  yoke,  cultivating  the  graces  and 
duties  of  his  profession,  it  is  his  privilege,  in  the 
midst  of  infirmities,  sins,  and  shortcomings,  to 
draw  consolation  from  the  gracious  truth,  (min- 
istering consolation  only  to  the  conscientious 
followers  of  Christ) :  ''If  any  man  sin,  we 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father ;  Jesus  Christ, 
the  righteous,  who  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins ;''  and,  notwithstanding  his  infirmities  and 
shortcomings,  to  enjoy  still  the  assurance  of 
God's  love,  and  entertain  still  that  hope  which 
maketh  not  ashamed ;  that  hope,  which,  fixing 
on  the  rock  Jesus,  fast  by  the  throne  of  God,  is 
an  anchor  to  the  soul,  both  sure  and  steadfast. 

Thus  the  flesh  is  mortified  with  the  affections 
and  lusts ;  and  the  war  of  conflicting  and 
unhallowed  passions  ends  in  peaceful  triumphs 
of  heavenly  affections.     And  the  Christian  rises 


206  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

above  the  calamities,  and  cares,  and  strifes  of 
life;  buries  his  selfishness  and  resentments  in 
good-will  to  men,  and  in  doing  good ;  and  loses 
his  cares,  and  anxieties,  and  vexing  thoughts, 
in  peaceful  resignation  to  his  heavenly  Father^s 
will,  and  in  the  brightening  hope  of  heaven. 

Surely,  all  this  will  have  a  happy  influence 
in  preparing  him  for  the  momentous  events  of 
death  and  judgment.  And  it  is  on  the  bed  of 
death — it  is  amid  the  solemnities  of  judgment 
— it  is  in  the  realities  of  the  eternal  world, 
that  we  shall  have  the  fullest  manifestations  of 
the  blessedness  of  the  Christian  Profession. 

And  now,  my  dear  Friend,  I  must  bring 
these  letters  to  a  close.  And,  in  conclusion, 
permit  me  to  entreat  you  to  consider  prayer- 
fully, in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the  light  of 
eternity,  that  profession,  the  nature,  duties, 
importance,  trials,  supports,  and  rewards  of 
which  I  have  endeavored  to  set  before  you. 
And  be  entreated,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  to 
present  your  body  a  living  sacrifice,  holy, 
acceptable  to  God,  which  is  your  reasonable 
service;  and  be  not  conformed  to  the  world, 


FOLLY  AND  DANGER    OF  DELAY.  207 

but  be  transformed,  bj  the  renewing  of  your 
mind,  that  jou  may  prove  experimentally  what  is 
that  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God. 
If  you  have  never  made  this  profession,  delay 
it  no  longer.  No  longer  regard  it  with  indiffer- 
ence ;  no  longer  make  yourself  easy  in  the 
neglect  of  it  by  those  excuses  in  which  you  have 
hitherto  rested.  They  will  be  of  no  avail  in 
the  day  in  which  God  shall  take  away  your 
soul,  and  call  you  to  stand  at  his  judgment 
bar.  And  you  know  not  the  day  nor  the  hour 
of  this  fearful  summons.  The  rejection  of  the 
Christian  Profession  is  the  rejection  of  Christ ; 
and  long  before  your  summons  into  the  eternal 
world,  the  Holy  Spirit,  grieved  by  your  course, 
may  abandon  you  forever.  The  longer  you 
delay,  the  greater  will  be  the  difficulty,  and  the 
weaker  will  you  be  to  surmount  it.  Best  not, 
then,  in  the  delusive  hope,  that  you  will  find  a 
more  convenient  season — that,  after  you  reach 
more  mature  years — at  least,  in  the  decline  of 
life — at  farthest,  in  old  age — you  will  take 
your  stand  as  a  Christian.  Beside  the  base- 
ness of  putting  the  Saviour  oflP  with  the  refuse 


208  THE  CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

of  jour  existence  —  the  feeble  services  of  a 
spent  constitution,  worn  out  in  the  service  of 
the  world — ^beside  the  baseness  of  such  a  pur- 
pose, the  hope  is  utterly  delusive.  Those  years 
may  never  come ;  or,  if  they  do,  increased  cares 
and  responsibilities,  habits  confirmed  in  worldli- 
ness  and  indifference  as  to  the  claims  of  the 
soul ;  habits  of  prayerlessness  and  sin  ;  habits  of 
neglect  of  duty;  worldly  connections,  enfeebled 
powers,  and  a  thousand  other  things,  may  have 
placed  you  at  a  hopeless  distance  from  the 
kingdom  of  God,  ?  nd  the  Holy  Spirit  have  left 
you,  under  the  fearful  sentence.  He  is  joined 
TO  HIS  IDOLS;  let  HIM  ALONE.  Few  men, 
living  under  the  sound  of  the  Grospel,  ever  join 
the  Church  after  the  meridian  of  life. 

If  you  have  made  this  profession — then  be 
stimulated  to  the  practice  of  its  duties,  and  to 
the  practical  proof  of  its  consolations  and  blessed- 
ness. Be  not  conformed  to  the  world ;  but  be 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that 
you  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable 
and  perfect  will  of  God.  Walk  worthy  of  the 
vocation  wherewith  you  are  called.    Put  off  con- 


INCREASED  DILIGENCE   IN   DUTY.  209 

cerning  the  former  conversation  the  old  man  wliicli 
is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and 
he  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind ;  and  put 
on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness.  Prove  yourself 
whether  you  are  in  the  faith  ;  and  he  not  con- 
tent with  present  attainments ;  hut  forgetting 
the  things  which  are  hehind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  are  hefore,  press  toward 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Be  not  comparing  your- 
self with  others,  and  contenting  yourself  with 
the  average  of  the  amount  of  piety  in  the 
Church  ;  hut  try  yourself  hy  the  law  of  Christ, 
hy  his  example,  and  the  example  of  his  holy 
apostles.  Let  the  graces  of  the  Cliristian  Pro- 
fession he  in  you  and  ahound ;  so  that  you  may 
he  neither  harren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Kememher,  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no 
man  dieth  to  himself;  hut  whether  we  live,  we 
live  to  the  Lord ;  and  whether  we  die,  we  die  to 
the  Lord ;  whether,  therefore,  we  live  or  die,  we 
are  the  Lord's.  For  to  this  end  Christ  hoth  died. 


210  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

and  rose,  and  lives  a  new  and  glorious  life  in 
heaven,  that  lie  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead 
and  living.  We  are  not  our  own;  but  are 
bought  with  a  price,  and  bound  to  glorify  God 
with  our  bodies  and  our  spirits,  which  are  his. 
There  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  be  as 
devoted  in  our  profession  as  was  the  Apostle  Paul. 

This  profession  is  bound  upon  us  by  every 
consideration — by  the  authority  of  God  ;  by  the 
love  of  the  Saviour ;  by  its  intrinsic  excellence  ; 
by  the  interests  of  truth  and  righteousness  ;  by 
all  that  is  precious  in  our  own  immortal  souls ;  by 
the  interests  of  the  souls  of  others  ;  by  the  well- 
being  of  universal  humanity ;  by  the  example 
of  the  worthies  of  every  age ;  by  the  claims  of 
eternity. 

It  can  not  be  slighted,  neglected,  or  regarded 
with  indifference,  or  dishonored  by  unbecoming 
deportment  in  it,  without  fearful  peril.  The 
rejection  of  its  claims  and  obligations  proves  the 
heart  to  be  in  a  state  of  desperate  revolt  against 
God — and  woe  to  him  who  contends  with  his 
Maker ! 

A  ruinous  unbelief  lies  at  the  foundation  of 


OBLIGATIONS  —  UNBELIEF.  211 

all  indifiference  to  this  profession,  and  of  all 
neglect  of  its  duties  ;  and  when  we  consider  the 
issues  pending,  we  may  well  wake  up  to  the 
trumpet  warning  of  the  Apostle :  "  Take  heed, 
brethren,  lest  there  he  in  any  of  you  an  evil 
heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  living 
God !"  This  is  the  root  at  which  we  must  strike ! 
A  growing  indifference  to  the  Christian  Pro- 
fession, tends  to  open  infidelity,  and  total  apos- 
tasy from  Grod. 

Disqualification  for  membership  in  the  Church, 
is  disqualification  for  heaven.  The  New  Testa- 
ment Church  visible  is  called  *'  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven."  It  is  that  kingdom  which  the  "  God 
of  heaven"  has  set  up.  Its  principles  are  heav- 
enly and  eternal — "  righteousness,  and  peace, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost" — the  same  with  the 
principles  of  the  kingdom  as  it  is  in  heaven, 
and  will  be  to  all  eternity ;  only  here  imper- 
fectly, there  perfectly  developed.  Hence  the 
Apostle  calls  it  a  "kingdom  which  can  not  be 
moved."  The  Jewish  dispensation  was  taken 
down;  other  systems  shall  be  shaken  and 
removed ;  but  this  can  not  be  shaken,  and  shall 


212  THE   CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

remain.  The  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a 
great  noise,  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fer- 
vent heat,  and  the  earth  and  the  things  which 
are  therein,  shall  be  burnt  up ;  but  this  king- 
dom shall  stand.  Freed  from  its  present  im- 
perfections, and  with  its  Divine  and  eternal 
principles  fully  developed,  it  shall  appear  and 
live  forever  in  glory.  Hence  the  Apostle,  writing 
to  the  Hebrew  Christians,  speaking  of  their 
present  church  state,  speaks  of  it  in  terms  appli- 
cable to  heaven :  "  But  ye  are  come  unto  Mount 
Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  unto  an  innumerable 
company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and 
Church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  written  in 
heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things 
than  that  of  Abel.''  The  Church  of  God  on 
earth,  then,  being  in  its  principles  identical  with 
the  Church  above,  is  one  kingdom  with  it ;  the 
same  kingdom,  only  in  a  different  form  as  to  its 
external  administration ;  and  being  the  same  in 


UNFITNESS  FOR  HEAVEN.  213 

principle,  takes  tlie  same  name,  "  the  kingdom 
of  Heaven.^'  The  true  members  of  it  are  ani- 
mated by  the  same  principles  which  animate  the 
members  of  the  Church  above ;  only  the  former 
are  yet  imperfectly  under  their  power  —  the 
latter  perfectly.  It  is  ONE  family,  part  in 
heaven,  part  on  earth :  "  For  this  cause  I  bow 
my  knees  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  is  named.'^  The  Church  on  earth,  then, 
being  essentially  one,  in  all  its  radical  princi- 
ples, with  the  Church  above,  and  being  with  it 
called  '*  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,"  a  refusal  to 
belong  to  it,  is  virtually  a  repudiation  of  heaven, 
and  apostasy  from  it,  an  abandonment  of  heaven. 
As  yet,  the  Church  of  God  is  in  a  compara- 
tively humble  and  obscure  condition,  and  there 
is  little  that  is  attractive  in  her  position. 
The  majority  of  this  world,  and  especially  of 
its  wealth  and  distinction,  declines  her  pro- 
fession ;  and  much  of  it  is  decidedly  hostile  to 
it.  But  it  shall  not  be  always  so.  The  Christ- 
ian profession  is  destined  to  become — and  at  no 
distant  day — the   profession  of  earth,  the  glory 


214  THE  CHRISTIAN   PROFESSION. 

and  boast  of  all  lands.  "  The  mountain  of  the 
Lord's  house,  shall  he  established  in  the  top  of 
the  mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the 
hills;  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it."  Zion 
shall  arise  and  shine,  because  her  light  is  come, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  has  risen  upon  her, 
and  the  nations  shall  come  to  her  light,  and 
kings  to  the  brightness  of  her  rising.  Unto 
Zion's  King  there  is  given  a  dominion,  and  a 
glorj,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations 
and  languages  should  serve  him — an  everlasting 
dominion  that  shall  not  pass  away,  and  a  king- 
dom that  shall  not  be  destroyed.  Avowed  sub- 
jection to  Christ,  and  the  observance  of  his 
institutions  and  laws,  will  be  the  rule  of  earth — 
and  the  neglect  of  the  Christian  Profession,  the 
exception. 

But  let  us  ascend  higher.  A  glorious  denoue- 
ment awaits  the  Church  of  God.  This  profession 
is  to  shine  in  the  splendors  of  its  own  heaven  to 
which  it  belongs :  *'  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth ;  for  the  first  heaven  and  the 
first  earth  were  passed  away ;  and  there  was  no 
more  sea.     And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  new 


COMING  GLORY  OF  THE  CHURCH.    215 

Jerusalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven, 
prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband. 
And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying, 
*  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and 
he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his 
people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them, 
and  be  their  God.  And  God  shall  wipe  all  tears 
from  their  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain ;  for  the  former  things 
are  passed  away.  And  the  street  of  the  city 
was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass. 
And  I  saw  no  temple  therein  ;  for  the  Lord  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. 
And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of 
the  moon,  to  shine  in  it ;  for  the  glory  of  God 
did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof. 
And  the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved  shall 
walk  in  the  light  of  it ;  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  do  bring  their  glory  and  honor  into  it. 
And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by 
day ;  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there.  And 
they  shall  bring  the  glory  and  honor  of  the 
nations    into  it.      And  there   shall   in    nowise 


216  THE   CHRISTIAN    PROFESSION. 

enter  into  it  anything  that  defile th,  neither 
whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  maketh  a 
lie ;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's 
book  of  life.  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse  ; 
but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be 
in  it ;  and  his  servants  shall  serve  Him ;  and 
they  shall  see  His  face,  and  Sis  name  shall  he  in 
their  foreheads.  And  there  shall  be  no  night 
there;  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light 
of  the  sun ;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light ; 
and  they  shall  reign  forever  and  ever.''' 

Such  is  the  future  glory  of  the  Church,  and  of 
its  true  members.  In  that  glory,  my  dear  friend, 
may  you  participate.  But  remember  that  it  is 
written,  "Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  command- 
ments, that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of 
life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into 

the  city." 

Yours, 


THE    END. 


^^l^r     ^^ 


^- 


''^^-.^.. 


,     ,  -  ir-*?^'  -'# 


"WC 


-V. 


.% 


